Biomarkers in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: biological rationale and diagnostic value

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) usually suffer from non-specific and overlapping signs that hamper the diagnostic process. In line with this, biomarkers specific for IBS could be of great benefit for diagnosing and managing patients. In IBS, the need is for apparent distinguishing features linked to the disease that improve diagnosis, differentiate from other organic diseases, and discriminate between IBS subtypes. Some biomarkers are associated with a possible pathophysiologic mechanism of IBS; others are used for differentiating IBS from non-IBS patients. Implementation of IBS biomarkers in everyday clinical practice is critical for early diagnosis and treatment. However, our knowledge about their efficient use is still scarce. This review discusses the biomarkers implemented for IBS diagnosis and management, such as blood (serum), fecal, immunological, related to the microbiome, microRNAs, and some promising novel biomarkers associated with imaging and psychological features of the disease. We focus on the most common, studied, and validated biomarkers and their biological rationale, diagnostic, and clinical value.
Source: Digestive Diseases - Category: Gastroenterology Source Type: research