Phenotyping of subjects for large scale studies on patients with IBS
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a complex condition with multiple factors contributing to its aetiology and pathophysiology. Aetiologically these include genetics, life‐time events and environment, and physiologically, changes in motility, central processing, visceral sensitivity, immunity, epithelial permeability and gastrointestinal microflora. Such complexity means there is currently no specific reliable biomarker for IBS, and thus IBS continues to be diagnosed and classified according to symptom based criteria, the Rome Criteria. Carefully phenotyping and characterisation of a ‘large’ pool of IBS patients across Europe and even the world however, might help identify sub‐populations with accuracy and consistency. This will not only aid future research but improve tailoring of treatment and health care of IBS patients.