Top 10 research priorities for irritable bowel syndrome: results of a James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent, chronic disorder of gut–brain interaction (DGBI), characterised by abdominal pain in association with change in stool form or frequency. 1 Ford AC Sperber AD Corsetti M Camilleri M Irritable bowel syndrome. Lancet. 2020; 396: 1675-1688 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (225) Google Scholar It affects 5% of the global population, 2 Oka P Parr H Barberio B Black CJ Savarino EV Ford AC Global prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome according to Rome III or IV criteria: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020; 5: 908-917 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (227) Google Scholar and can be difficult to treat, affecting social functioning, ability to work, and quality of life. 1 Ford AC Sperber AD Corsetti M Camilleri M Irritable bowel syndrome. Lancet. 2020; 396: 1675-1688 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (225) Google Scholar Impact on quality of life can be worse than other chronic diseases including diabetes, arthritis, and heart failure. 3 Goodoory VC Guthrie EA Ng CE Black CJ Ford AC Factors associated with lower disease-specific and generic health-related quality of life in Rome IV irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2023; 57: 323-334 Crossref PubMed Scopus (9) Google Scholar People living with IBS would be willing to accept considerable risks from a hypothetical medication in return for cure of symptoms. 4 Goodoory VC Ng CE Black CJ Ford AC Willingness to accept risk with medication in return for cure of symptoms among patients with Rome IV irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2022; 55: 1311-1319 Crossref PubMed Scopus (14) Google Scholar The economic impact is substantial, estimated at over £1 billion per year in the UK. 5 Goodoory VC Ng CE Black CJ Ford AC Direct healthcare costs of Rome IV or Rome III-defined irritable bowel syndrome in the United Kingdom. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2022; 56: 110-120 Crossref PubMed Scopus (21) Google Scholar Despite recent successes in the UK, in terms of grant awards to perform clinical trials in the condition, 6 Gunn D Fried R Lalani R et al. Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea using titrated ondansetron (TRITON): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials. 2019; 20: 517 Crossref PubMed Scopus (11) Google Scholar , 7 Alderson SL Wright-Hughes A Ford AC et al. Amitriptyline at low-dose and titrated for irritable bowel syndrome as second-line treatment (the ATLANTIS trial): protocol for a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial in primary care. Trials. 2022; 23: 552 Crossref PubMed Scopus (1) Google Scholar IBS is generally not viewed as a priority for research funding. 8 The Lancet Gastroenterology & HepatologyUnmet needs of patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018; 3: 587 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (8) Google Scholar