Deployment-Associated Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: Do We Know the Etiology?

Excerpt

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGD) are a collection of symptoms with no known anatomical or biochemical abnormality [1]. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and dyspepsia are two of the most common types of FGD. The etiology of these disorders is unknown, but speculated mechanisms include altered gastrointestinal motility, visceral hypersensitivity, aberrant brain–gut interaction, food intake, and psychological factors, perhaps with a genetic predisposition [2]. Acute gastrointestinal infection can precipitate or exacerbate the clinical expression of IBS and dyspepsia [3, 4]. Various studies in non-military populations have demonstrated the onset of IBS after gastroenteritis. This type of IBS is known as post-infectious IBS (PI-IBS). The current study makes an association between infective gastroenteritis and subsequent development of FGD in military personnel. …