Functional state of the autonomic nervous system in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Abstract

The present work is focused on vegetative status (sympathetic-parasympathetic balance) in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The study involved 100 patients with IBS and a control group of 110 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. We revealed that vegetative disbalance is twice more common in IBS patients then in control group. The shift in vegetative balance of IBS patients in not uniform and depends on the type of the disease. Sympathicotonia prevailed in patients with constipation, and parasympathicotonia was more common in patients with diarrhea. Individuals with mixed and unclassified IBS showed a general vegetative imbalance with elevated frequency of both sympathico- and parasympathicotonia.