IBS linked to Celiac Disease

In patients meeting diagnostic criteria for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the prevalence of biopsy-proved celiac disease was more than quadruple that in control individuals without IBS, according to the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis reported in the April 13 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

"Prevalence of biopsy-proved celiac disease in cases meeting diagnostic criteria for IBS was more than 4-fold that in controls without IBS," the study authors write. "If screening is to be undertaken, then EMA or tTGA testing should be preferred to IgA class AGA testing because of a higher positive predictive value, although the yield will depend on the prevalence in the population being studied."

Bonnie - this makes perfect sense to me based upon my clinical experience with IBS.