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In South Africa, the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is estimated at less than 8% of the population, according to a study conducted by Lovell and Ford in 2015.
Figures, however, are based A study conducted since 1984. As a result, we do not really know how many South Africans currently suffer from IBS.
Although it is a common problem, IBS, or spastic colon, is difficult to diagnose.
The Help of an Acoustic Belt
A belt that surrounds your stomach and "listens" to the telltale sounds of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can facilitate the detection of Notoriously elusive disease "IBS is difficult to diagnose because it affects the function of the bowel, rather than causing an obvious physical change," explained the study's lead investigator, Barry Marshall. He is Professor and Director of the Marshall Center for Research and Training on Infectious Diseases at the University of Western Australia
Doctors are often forced to use lengthy or unreliable questionnaires that seek for symptoms or invasive colonoscopies. IBS symptoms may include stomach pain, bloating, and diarrhea and / or constipation.
"These symptoms are expensive, uncomfortable and carry risks, but still do not provide a positive diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. Patients are left confused and do not feel taken seriously by doctors. "
The acoustic belt aims to change all that."
IBS medical check
"When we meet a patient with a possible IBS, [doctors] would first have to check the red flags for physical diseases, "noted Marshall." Then send them to wear our belt.A positive result with the belt would give confidence in the IBS diagnosis, so that the doctor and patients can start treatment. "
Meanwhile, additional blood tests could be deployed to reign
The first "proof of concept" tests indicate "that it is possible to differentiate between IBS patients and those with healthy guts with precision 87%, "says Marshall.
In 2005, Marshall was awarded the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking efforts to unearth an antibacterial gun for stomach ulcers and cancer of the stomach. tomac.
Marshall's latest research focuses on IBS, which affects about 11% of men and women. His team noted that the technology used by the acoustic belt was originally designed to follow the nibbling sounds of termites.
In the study, the belt was tested on healthy individuals and patients already diagnosed with IBS
Participants wore belts for about two hours after fasting, then again for about 40 minutes After a meal.
Among a first group of 68 participants, the belt was found to be approximately 90% accurate in distinguishing IBS. Among the second group of 30 participants, the belt proved to be 87% accurate.
The Way Forward
"The next step," said Marshall, "is to work with product developers.We will test this belt in a clinical setting early in the year. next year, "in order to market the belt by 2021.
Dr. Andrea Shin, Assistant Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology of Indiana According to the University medical school, "belt approach" is interesting and could be helpful in badessing bowel function through an approach that does not rely entirely on an individual's description of his patterns of symptoms. In the future, Shin said that it would also be useful to know if intestinal sounds vary with the severity of symptoms in IBS patients, for example, acoustics can discriminate Patients Who IBS That "
And noting that" the symptoms may be extremely variable from one person to the other, "Shin also suggested that follow-up research should focus on different types of IBS patients , such as those with diarrhea versus patients with constipation
Image Credit: iStock
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