Overlap Between Irritable Bowel Syndrome Diagnosis and Endometriosis in Adolescents Original paper
Researched by:
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Karen Pendergrass
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Karen Pendergrass
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease—four years before the first published case study.
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Karen Pendergrass
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Karen Pendergrass
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Endometriosis
Endometriosis
Endometriosis involves ectopic endometrial tissue causing pain and infertility. Validated and Promising Interventions include Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), Low Nickel Diet, and Metronidazole therapy.
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Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits. Recent research has focused on the gut microbiota's role in IBS, aiming to identify specific microbial signatures associated with the condition.
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Karen Pendergrass
Researched by:
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Karen Pendergrass
ID
Karen Pendergrass
Fact-checked by:
-
Karen Pendergrass
ID
Karen Pendergrass
Microbiome Signatures identifies and validates condition-specific microbiome shifts and interventions to accelerate clinical translation. Our multidisciplinary team supports clinicians, researchers, and innovators in turning microbiome science into actionable medicine.
Karen Pendergrass
What Was Studied?
The study investigated the association between endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adolescent females. Specifically, it aimed to determine the prevalence of IBS in those with and without surgically confirmed endometriosis and to explore how pelvic pain severity and other comorbidities influenced this relationship.
Who Was Studied?
The study analyzed data from 323 adolescent females under 21 years of age who participated in the “Women’s Health Study: Adolescence to Adulthood,” a longitudinal cohort. Participants were grouped based on the presence or absence of surgically confirmed endometriosis and whether they met the diagnostic criteria for IBS, as defined by Rome IV guidelines or self-reported clinician diagnoses.
What Were the Most Important Findings?
The study found that adolescents with endometriosis were five times more likely to have IBS than those without endometriosis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.26). Among participants with endometriosis, the odds of IBS increased with the severity of acyclic pelvic pain, with each 1-point increase in pain severity raising the odds by 31% (aOR, 1.31). A significant overlap in pain-related comorbidities, including migraines, sleep disturbances, and urinary symptoms, was observed in individuals with both conditions. Moreover, central pain sensitization, driven by visceral hypersensitivity and alterations in the peripheral and central nervous systems, was identified as a potential shared mechanism between endometriosis and IBS. This study’s microbiome associations highlight the role of inflammatory processes in both conditions. Low-grade mucosal inflammation and mast cell activation, often linked to microbiome dysbiosis, were implicated as contributing factors to the development of IBS in the context of endometriosis.
What Are the Greatest Implications of This Study?
This research underscores the need for integrated screening and management strategies for adolescents presenting with endometriosis and/or IBS. Identifying overlapping symptoms early could reduce diagnostic delays and improve patient outcomes. Furthermore, the findings suggest potential pathways for therapeutic interventions targeting the microbiome and immune regulation, such as central sensitization and inflammation. Clinicians should consider IBS in the differential diagnosis for adolescents with severe acyclic pelvic pain, even in the absence of endometriosis.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis involves ectopic endometrial tissue causing pain and infertility. Validated and Promising Interventions include Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), Low Nickel Diet, and Metronidazole therapy.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits. Recent research has focused on the gut microbiota's role in IBS, aiming to identify specific microbial signatures associated with the condition.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis involves ectopic endometrial tissue causing pain and infertility. Validated and Promising Interventions include Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), Low Nickel Diet, and Metronidazole therapy.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits. Recent research has focused on the gut microbiota's role in IBS, aiming to identify specific microbial signatures associated with the condition.