Role of GI motor abnormalities in irritable bowel syndrome

There is still no category of gastrointestinal disease that fosters a greater sens@ of frustration in physicians and patients than functional gastrointestinal disorders. This frustration reflects the paucity of effective medications, and is only tempered for the physician by the knowledge the diagnosis is most often correct, and safe, that is, patients do not develop significant complications or die from these disorders. Regrettably, the patients experience impaired quality of life, and utilize health care resources extensively as they seek better "solutions" (including unnecessary repeated investigations or even surgery). From a societal standpoint, there is also a significant economic burden estimated for 1998 at $41 billion for the 8 most industrialized countries ; two thirds of this burden reflects absenteeism from work and the indirect costs.