#GIcommunity Industry Roundup – June 2022

Each month, the CDI team rounds up some of the latest #GIcommunity research, news, and trends, and how they impact functional GI diagnostics and treatment of patients worldwide.

This month, we feature content from the AJG “Food as Medicine” special issue, additional resources and studies on dietary therapies, a GI community wrap-up of World Microbiome Day, and news on the release of new pharmacological treatment guidelines for IBS by the American Gastroenterological Association.

The June 2022 issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology (AJG) featured the “Food as Medicine” special section, which “acknowledges the intense interest in diet by patients, providers and researchers alike.” Over 100 observational and interventional studies on various dietary topics were considered for the special edition, with only 17 chosen for inclusion. Additionally, the special issue presents a series of articles from the ROME Foundation Working Group on the role of food in managing disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs). Here are some of the highlights from AJG:

• Utilization of Dietitians in the Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome by Members of the American College of Gastroenterology
• The Role of Food in Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction: Introduction to a Rome Foundation Working Group Series
• The Role of Food in the Treatment of Bowel Disorders: Focus on Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Functional Constipation
• Psychological Considerations in the Dietary Management of Patients With DGBI
• Mechanisms Underlying Food-Triggered Symptoms in Disorders of Gut-Brain Interactions
• Evidence-Based and Emerging Diet Recommendations for Small Bowel Disorders

During our Mid-Year 2022 Functional GI Trends Webinar, dietary therapies and other non-pharmacological treatments for functional GI disorders were also a hot topic for discussion. Check out the webinar recording or download our Mid-Year 2022 Trends Guide for highlights.

According to study results presented at Digestive Disease Week 2022 (DDW2022®), a diet with low total carbohydrate content and a diet combining low-FODMAP and traditional dietary advice were superior in reducing symptoms compared with optimized medical treatments alone in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). While all three interventions reduced symptom severity, there was a more significant change in severity in the two dietary interventions.

Annually on June 27^th, the research community joins together to celebrate World Microbiome Dayv to share the importance of microbes for the health of humans, animals, plans, oceans, and the entire planet. According to APC Microbiome Ireland, 95% of a human’s microbiota is in the gastrointestinal tract, and nearly 90% of diseases can be linked to gut and microbiome health. In 2020, World Gastroenterology Organisation recognized the importance of the gut microbiome and released a special handbook titled “Gut Microbiome: A Global Perspective.”

Significant research by the GI community continues to be conducted on the microbiome, which was also a hot topic during the Mid-Year 2022 Functional GI Trends Webinar. And in honor of World Microbiome Day, Healio Gastroenterology presented a roundup of recent stories on the microbiome.

This month, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) released new treatment guidelines that “outline a personalized approach for treating patients with approved drug treatments” for IBS-C or IBS-D. The guidelines provide recommendations for when to use newly introduced IBS drugs, when to rely on old medicines approved by the FDA and when to consider using over-the-counter medications. The American College of Gastroenterology released in December 2020 its first clinical guidelines on managing IBS, including guidelines for pharmacological treatment and diagnostic best practices.