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Previous Volume 329:1940-1945 December 23, 1993 Number 26 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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Irritable bowel syndrome is one of a group of disorders that includes chest pain of unexplained origin, nonulcer dyspepsia, and biliary dyskinesia. These chronic disorders are frequently considered functional, because no specific structural or biochemical cause has been found¹. In all likelihood, the pathogenesis involves disordered motility or altered visceral sensation, although no consistent abnormality has been identified. In addition, psychosocial factors affect the clinical expression of these disorders.

Definition and Clinical Presentation

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome have a broad range of symptoms well known to most clinicians. The symptoms may be continuous or intermittent but should be present for at least . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Epidemiology

Pathophysiology

Psychosocial Factors

Evaluation

Management

Conclusions

Source Information

From the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Friedman at the Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Bulfinch 127, Boston, MA 02114.

References

Related Letters:

Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Brostoff J., Tueth M. J., Lynn R. B., Friedman L. S.
Extract | Full Text  
N Engl J Med 1994; 330:1390-1391, May 12, 1994. Correspondence

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