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Irritable bowel syndrome in adults. Implementing NICE guidance. 2008. NICE clinical guideline 61. What this presentation covers. Background Key priorities for implementation Costs and savings Discussion Find out more . Background.
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Irritable bowel syndrome in adults Implementing NICE guidance 2008 NICE clinical guideline 61
What this presentation covers • Background • Key priorities for implementation • Costs and savings • Discussion • Find out more
Background • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has a prevalence of 10-20% in the general population • It is a chronic, relapsing and often life-long disorder • The people most commonly affected are those aged 20–30 years • It is twice as common in women as in men
Initial assessment • Consider assessment for IBS if any of these symptoms have been present for at least 6 months • Abdominal pain or discomfort • Bloating • Change in bowel habit
Initial assessment: ‘red flag’ indicators • Ask • Unintentional and unexplained weight loss • Rectal bleeding • A family history of bowel or ovarian cancer • Bowel habit change for > 6 weeks in person over 60 years • Assess/examine • Anaemia • Abdominal masses • Rectal masses • Inflammatory markers for inflammatory bowel disease • Refer to secondary care if any of these indicators present
Initial assessment:establishing the diagnosis • Consider IBS diagnosis only if the person has abdominal pain that is relieved by defaecation or associated with altered bowel frequency or stool form, and at least two symptoms from: • altered stool passage • abdominal bloating, distension, tension or hardness • symptoms made worse by eating • passage of mucus
Initial assessment:establishing the diagnosis • Take the following factors into account to facilitate effective consultation • People should be asked open questions to establish symptoms, for example, ‘tell me about how your symptoms affect aspects of your daily life, such as leaving the house’ • Healthcare professionals should be sensitive to the cultural, ethnic and communication needs of people for whom English is not a first language or who may have cognitive and/or behavioural problems or disabilities
Bristol Stool Form Scale Reproduced by kind permission of Dr K W Heaton, Reader in Medicine at the University of Bristol. 2000 Norgine Ltd.
Diagnostic tests • In people who meet the IBS diagnostic criteria, the following tests should be undertaken to exclude other diagnoses: • full blood count (FBC) • erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or plasma viscosity • c-reactive protein (CRP) • antibody testing for coeliac disease (endomysial antibodies [EMA] or tissue transglutaminase [TTG])
Diagnostic tests The following tests are not necessary to confirm a diagnosis where IBS diagnostic criteria are met: • ultrasound • rigid/flexible sigmoidoscopy • colonoscopy; barium enema • thyroid function test • faecal ova and parasite test • faecal occult blood test • hydrogen breath test (for lactose intolerance and bacterial overgrowth).
Clinical management of IBS:dietary and lifestyle advice • People with IBS should be given information that explains the importance of self-help in effectively managing their IBS
Clinical management of IBS:dietary and lifestyle advice • Healthcare professionals should review the fibre intake of people with IBS, adjusting (usually reducing) it while monitoring the effect on symptoms • If symptoms persist after following lifestyle/dietary advice, consider referral to a dietitian
Clinical management of IBS:pharmacological therapy • Advise people with IBS how to adjust their doses of laxative or antimotility agent • Healthcare professionals should consider low-dose tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) as second-line treatment, recommended only for their analgesic effect
Discussion • What does our primary care IBS pathway look like? • Where do our local protocols need updating to reflect all the recommendations in the guideline? • How can we manage the expectations of clinicians and patients about the use of tests to diagnose IBS? • When should psychological interventions be considered? • Are we offering ineffective treatments for IBS?For example, reflexology, acupuncture.
Find out more • Visit www.nice.org.uk/cg061 for: • Other guideline formats • Costing report and template • Audit support • Algorithm for diagnosis and management of IBS within primary care • IBS dietary information resource