Each month, the CDI team rounds up some of the latest #GIcommunity research, news, and trends and highlights how they impact functional GI diagnostics and treatment.
This month, we wrap up IBS Awareness Month and World IBS Day with articles, highlights, and resources for the GI community. We also feature several new studies from this month, including a study on GI symptoms and the severity of COVID-19 and an article that further validates the North American Consensus on Breath Testing. Plus, check out a recent The New York Times on the growing popularity of gut health topics on social media.
Wrap-Up on IBS Awareness Month
Every April, industry stakeholders unite for IBS Awareness Month to help raise awareness about Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Additionally, since 2019, April 19th has been designated as World IBS Day. CDI hosted a GI Community discussion on best practices for IBS diagnostics and treatment with Dr. Shanti Eswaran from Michigan Medicine in honor of both IBS Awareness Month and World IBS Day.
Below are further highlights from other events during the month and additional resources available to the GI community for ongoing education and awareness.
Gastrointestinal symptoms and the severity of COVID-19: Disorders of gut-brain interaction are an outcome
A new study published in Neurogastroenterology & Motility looks at functional GI disorders (FGID) and disorders of the brain-gut interaction (DGBI) in COVID-19 survivors. The authors pooled and clustered a large group of COVID-19 survivors and found new-onset dyspepsia is the most common amongst COVID-19 long haulers, followed by IBS. The authors also concluded that post-COVID-19 DBGI is a new entity that “deserves further investigations to determine prevalence, long-term prognosis, and treatment.”
Performance and Interpretation of Hydrogen and Methane Breath Testing Impact of North American Consensus Guidelines
In a new study published in Digestive Diseases and Sciences, researchers and practitioners from Functional Gut Diagnostics, a UK-joint venture between CDI and The Functional Gut Clinic, aimed to objectively assess the impact of The North American Consensus guideline changes on patients’ results and symptoms compared to retrospective data that utilized guidelines previously recommended. The findings support the NAC recommended approach for breath testing, including substrate dosage and study length.
Why Is Gut Health Taking Over TikTok?
In an ongoing trend of self-optimization, influencers have flocked to TikTok to publish more and more content around gut health. In a recent The New York Times article, the author explores the recent uptick in gut health videos – according to the report, videos tagged with #guttok on TikTok have garnered nearly 400 million views. However, medical experts are weary, stating that most of these videos are backed by no actual research, and some of them may even be potentially harmful. Long story short – patients should seek advice directly from medical professionals if they struggle with GI symptoms.
