The yield of colonoscopy in patients with non-constipated irritable bowel syndrome: results from a prospective, controlled US trial.

Summary: If you suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) without constipation, you might worry that structural damage or serious disease is to blame. A major US study brings reassuring news: your colon is likely just as healthy—if not healthier—than the average person's. Researchers compared nearly 500 IBS patients with healthy volunteers and found that the IBS group actually had fewer polyps and pouches (diverticula). While a very small percentage (1.5%) were diagnosed with microscopic colitis via biopsy, the vast majority of exams showed no structural abnormalities, suggesting that for most, the symptoms are not caused by visible damage to the colon.