Sonya Ahmed El-Gaaly1, Ehab Hassan Nashaat1, Mohamed Ahmed Abdelmagied Hamza2, Mostafa Attya Elfors *1
1Internal Medicine Department, Hepatology and GIT Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
2Al-Mustansiriya University, Iraq. Visitor internal medicine resident, Ain Shams University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt.
Corresponding Author: Mostafa Attya Elfors
MD of internal medicine, Lecturer of internal medicine, Hepatology and GIT, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University.
Email: mostafaalfors@med.asu.edu.eg.
Tel. No.: +201004424657
ORCID: 0009-0000-9578-8133.
DOI: 10.21608/ajgh.2024.325712.1066.
Submission date: 03 October 2024.
Revision date (End of revision): 10 November 2024.
Acceptance date: 22 November 2024.
Abstract
Background: Abdominal pain that flares up again and irregular intestinal motility are the features of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a complex bowel symptom with an incidence of 5.2-22% in people. IBS and allergy illnesses share many common causes, including food intolerance, post-infectious inflammation, and allergic reactions. This suggests that there may be an immune-mediated relationship between the two conditions. The Research Ethics Committee (REC) at the Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, approved this research to evaluate the impact and incidence of food allergies among adults with IBS.
Methods: Between January 2023 and June 2023, we conducted our prospective cohort study in the gastroenterology unit of Ain Shams University Hospital, using Rome IV criteria to diagnose IBS in 84 participants after exclusion of cases with immune deficiencies, significant previous abdominal surgery, and organic gastrointestinal disorders. Participants' dietary habits and demographic information were noted, and they also underwent an entire medical history, physical examination, CBC, stool analyses, serum IgE tests, and a two-week food record to monitor their intake of allergenic foods and their impact on the IBS manifestations.
Results: Among our research subjects, the prevalence of food allergies was in 50% of patients, with common sensitivities to cow's milk, egg white, and wheat. Significant associations existed between food allergies and IBS subtypes, particularly IBS-C.
In Conclusion, food allergies are common in IBS cases, and there is a strong correlation between specific food allergies and IBS subtypes, especially in people who meet specific clinical and demographic criteria.
Keywords: Food Allergy, allergens, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Abdominal pain, IBS subtypes, Constipation, Diarrhea, Rome IV Criteria, Serum IgE, Functional gastrointestinal disorders.
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