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Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects 10-20% of the adult population. The condition affects all ages, but typically occurs before the age of 50 and is twice as common in women as in men. The prevalence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD; including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) in the Southwest is approaching 1% of the population and can affect patients of all ages.
This guidance refers to:
Patients aged 18-50 years old who present with lower gastrointestinal symptoms in whom you suspect IBS or IBD
Please note pre-referral criteria are applicable in this referral and referrals will be returned if this information is not contained within the referral letter.
This guidance does not cover:
Ψ Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis
Definition: ≥ 6 bloody stools per day AND one or more of following: temp greater than 37.8°C; CRP greater than 30 mg/L; Hb lower than 108 g/L; pulse greater than 90 bpm. If the patient meets these criteria, contact the on-call Consultant Gastroenterologist and/or admit through medical take out of hours. A faecal calprotectin is not needed in this situation and will delay urgent hospital care.
NICE guideline definition of IBS = abdominal pain or discomfort, in association with altered bowel habit, for at least 6 months, in the absence of alarm symptoms or signs
Consider IBS when the patient presents with:
Consider common drug causes of GI upset including:
The classification of IBS patients into sub-groups is useful for clinical practice, but it is common for IBS patients to switch from one subtype to another over time. More than 75% of IBS patients change to either of the other 2 subtypes at least once over a 1-year period.
Based on the history, IBS can be divided into:
IBS-D = diarrhoea predominant
IBS-C = constipation predominant
IBS-mixed = alternating
Differential Diagnoses
Diagnostic uncertainty between IBS and IBD
IBS | IBD- ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease |
Abdominal pain | Diarrhoea (especially if nocturnal defaecation) |
Bloating | Blood mixed in stool/bloody diarrhoea |
Change in bowel habit - Typically alternating | Urgency/incontinence Weight loss Abdominal pain |
Other features:
| Family history IBD Erythema nodosum, uveitis, pyoderma gangrenosum, inflammatory arthralgia |
Refer on the suspected colorectal cancer pathway:
Consider referral on the suspected colorectal cancer pathway:
a. abdominal pain;
b. change in bowel habit;
c. weight loss;
d. iron-deficiency anaemia
Please see the suspected cancer NICE guidelines NG12 .
In an unwell patient with acute abdominal pain or significant bloody diarrhoea and possible IBD, do not let primary care investigations delay appropriate urgent assessment. Look for signs of toxicity: ≥ 6 bloody stools per day and one or more of following: temp over 37.8°C; CRP greater than 30 mg/L; Hb less than 108 g/L; pulse greater than 90 bpm. If toxicity present or clinical concern contact the on-call Consultant Gastroenterologist and/or admit through medical take.
In adults aged 18-50 years old, with symptoms suggestive of IBS please organise routine blood tests:
If the above bloods tests are normal, but you still suspect IBD, please organise a faecal calprotectin test
Ψ Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis
Definition: ≥ 6 bloody stools per day AND one or more of following: temp greater than 37.8°C; CRP greater than 30 mg/L; Hb lower than 108 g/L; pulse greater than 90 bpm. If the patient meets these criteria, contact the on-call Consultant Gastroenterologist and/or admit through medical take out of hours. A faecal calprotectin is not needed in this situation and will delay urgent hospital care.
About the faecal calprotectin stool test
Calprotectin pathway
a) Faecal calprotectin lower than 500 µg/g:
At 6 weeks: If symptoms remain troublesome AND still no red flags AND faecal calprotectin is lower than 250 µg/g:
At 6 weeks: If symptoms remain troublesome AND still no red flags AND faecal calprotectin is 250-499 µg/g:
b) Faecal calprotectin 500-1200 µg/g
If repeat faecal calprotectin lower than 500 µg/g
If repeat faecal calprotectin 500-1200 µg/g
c) Faecal calprotectin greater than 1200 µg/g
In an unwell patient with acute abdominal pain or significant bloody diarrhoea and possible IBD, do not let primary care investigations delay appropriate urgent assessment. Look for signs of toxicity: ≥ 6 bloody stools per day and one or more of following: temp over 37.8°C; CRP greater than 30 mg/L; Hb less than 108 g/L; pulse greater than 90 bpm. If toxicity present or clinical concern contact the on-call Consultant Gastroenterologist and/or admit through medical take.
A positive diagnosis of IBS always helps management: patients without 'red flags' and with normal tests should be managed in primary care.
Please see MyHealth Devon website and BSG guidance for strategies to manage IBS symptoms
In general, treatment is targeted at addressing a patient’s most troublesome symptoms, be that abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation or bloating.
Reassurance and explanation about the condition
Explain how gut and mind interact.
Exacerbating factors include post infective, e.g. after gastroenteritis (over half generally settle over time although this may take a few years and is more typically causes IBS-D than IBS-C) and 'Stress', e.g. bereavement, interpersonal relationships.
Common misconceptions and concerns in IBS patients include:
Adjust expectations: 2 in 3 patients experience chronic symptoms with treatment targeted at improving symptoms, rather than complete symptom relief
Signpost to appropriate online resources:
Actively look for and manage co-existing anxiety and depression:
For patients with mild/moderate depression and anxiety consider referral to psychology support. GP referral or patient self-referral to:
Talkworks – South, North, East Devon
Improving Lives Plymouth – West Devon
Lifestyle
a) Give advice on general dietary measures:
b. Signpost patients to BDA food fact sheet on IBS and NHS IBS patient webinars
c. Second line dietary interventions
For more information on Diet and Lifestyle: see NICE CG61 and BSG
Pharmacological management
IBS is a condition to be primarily managed in the community. In patients with symptoms of IBS and that have not responded to simple lifestyle, dietary and pharmacological therapy as recommended by NICE consider referral to the Specialist Dietetic services.
A faecal calprotectin is not necessary for GPs to make a diagnosis of IBS but it is necessary for onward referral to gastroenterology and specialist dieticians.
Referrals should only go on to secondary care gastroenterology with a negative faecal calprotectin (lower than 250 µg/g) if there remains a significant doubt of the diagnosis of IBS and in refractory cases where symptoms remain very troublesome despite IBS dietary changes and first- and second-line medical treatment.
If this is the case refer with:
Note referrals to Gastroenterology with a negative faecal calprotectin (lower than 250 µg/g) that have not been managed as per this guideline and without the information above will be returned.
1. If faecal calprotectin 250 - 499 µg/g: Irritable Bowel Syndrome is 81% likely, therefore GP to consider routine gastroenterology referral if either there remains a significant doubt of the diagnosis of IBS and in refractory cases where symptoms remain very troublesome despite IBS dietary changes and first- and second-line medical treatment.
2. If faecal calprotectin 500 - 1200 µg/g: repeat the calprotectin test within 2 weeks (and ensure that stool culture sent already)
3. If faecal calprotectin >1200 µg/g
Please note that referrals to Gastroenterology with a positive faecal calprotectin will be returned without the following information:
4. Full Blood Count (FBC)
5. Coeliac serology with IgA levels
6. C-reactive Protein (CRP)
7. If diarrhoea: stool for MCS (OCP - if travel or at risk)
8. Faecal calprotectin numerical value
e-Referrals Service Selection
In an unwell patient with acute abdominal pain or significant bloody diarrhoea and possible IBD, do not let primary care investigations delay appropriate urgent assessment, please contact the on-call Consultant Gastroenterologist or use the electronic advice and guidance service.
e-Referral Service Selection
Please highlight on the referral form that the referral is in relation to refractory IBS
This pathway was signed off by NHS Devon
Publication date: May 2021
Updated: February 2024