Lecturer M.M. Liqaa Ahmed Jabbar, from the College of Pharmacy, presented a recent scientific study that addressed the relationship between Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and respiratory disorders, the results of which revealed new dimensions of the disease outside the scope of the digestive system.
The research study, titled “Respiratory dysfunction in patients with irritable bowel syndrome”, was published in the journal (Polski Merkuriusz Lekarski), which is indexed in (Scopus and Clarivate), and is in the second global ranking, Q2.
The study was based on a sample that included (40 patients with irritable bowel syndrome) who were compared with (30 healthy people). The results showed that respiratory symptoms were more common among those with irritable bowel syndrome, as they were recorded as: phlegm (67.5%), cough (50%), shortness of breath (37.5%), wheezing (30%).
Lung function tests also showed a significant decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) in patients compared to healthy individuals. The results indicated that constipation is a major contributing factor to the decline in lung function and the development of respiratory symptoms.
The study confirms that irritable bowel syndrome is not limited to digestive symptoms only, but its impact extends to the health of the respiratory system, which calls for attention to conducting respiratory examinations in these patients.
These research papers, presented by faculty members at the College of Pharmacy, focus on the importance of finding effective scientific solutions to many diseases that affect humans, and are among the key factors that contribute significantly to the development of the health sector in Iraq.