Description

Tests for chronic gastrointestinal complaints

Approximately 20 percent of the Dutch population has chronic gastrointestinal complaints. Many of them have been diagnosed with spastic bowel or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Scientific studies indicate, however, that an IBS diagnosis can in fact only be made after all possible causes of the symptoms have been ruled out. For this purpose, you can have a stool test carried out by Darmklachten.nl, and this package performs several analyses at the same time. This means there is a good chance of identifying the cause of your gastrointestinal complaints using the tests in the Chronic gastrointestinal complaints (IBS) package.

Which symptoms can you experience?

Gastrointestinal problems can lead to a wide range of symptoms. We list a number of common complaints:

• Abdominal pain, nausea or other stomach complaints
• Fatigue or sleep problems
• Anal itching or vaginal irritation
• A fluctuating bowel pattern
• Increased urgency
• Loose stools, sticky stools, fatty light-coloured stools, mushy unformed stools or constipation
• A lot of undigested food in the stool
• Bloated abdomen after eating
• Flatulence
• Complaints after eating bread, rice, pasta, sugar, starch or fatty foods

Do you regularly experience one or more of these complaints? Irritable bowel may then be the cause. Take the Chronic gastrointestinal complaints (IBS) package from Darmklachten.nl to investigate this.

What do we investigate in the Chronic gastrointestinal complaints (IBS) package?

The Chronic gastrointestinal complaints (IBS) package from Darmklachten.nl contains various analyses to identify the cause of your gastrointestinal problems. These tests help us rule out causes other than irritable bowel syndrome. We examine your stool for the following:

• Digestive parameters: pH, fat content, starch and plant fibres, consistency and colour
• Aerobic gut flora: Enterobacteriaceae, E.coli, Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp.
• Yeasts and fungi (especially Candida species)
• Akkermansia muciniphila & Faecalibacterium prausnitzii
• Inflammatory markers: calprotectin, secretory IgA, beta-defensin-2
• Gluten markers: anti-gliadin, anti-ht-transglutaminase
• Leaky gut: zonulin
• Intestinal parasite panel 1: D.fragilis and B.hominis or intestinal parasite panel 2: D.fragilis, B.hominis, G.lamblia, Cryptosporidium spp., E.histolityca and C.cayetanensis.

Below we explain all these analyses.

Digestive problems

A large amount of undigested food in the stool indicates digestive problems. We also examine the stool for acidity, the amount of starch and plant fibres, consistency and colour. An irritable bowel syndrome test from Darmklachten.nl can help identify problems with food digestion.

Abnormalities of the gut flora

For healthy gut flora, it is important that beneficial gut bacteria are present in the right quantities. A decrease in bacterial numbers can cause symptoms and reduced resistance. With the irritable bowel syndrome test from Darmklachten.nl, we examine your gut flora.

Yeast overgrowth

An increase in fungi and yeasts in the intestine – especially Candida species – can cause a bloated abdomen, mushy stools and flatulence. Do you have gastrointestinal complaints that developed after a course of antibiotics? Are you sensitive to yeasts? Or have you had Candida infections? Then this analysis from the irritable bowel syndrome test by Darmklachten.nl is very useful.

Akkermansia muciniphila & Faecalibacterium prausnitzii

Akkermansia and Faecalibacterium have an important function in the intestine. They help maintain a healthy mucus layer in the intestinal wall and adequate resistance. Together, these two bacteria make up approximately 15% of the total gut flora. The Chronic gastrointestinal complaints (IBS) package from Darmklachten can show whether these bacteria are present in the right quantities. Are too few of them present in your intestines? This can lead to inflammation and irritation of the intestinal wall. Eating enough vegetables helps maintain the amounts of Akkermansia and Faecalibacterium.

Inflammatory markers

Damage to the stomach and intestinal wall can lead to higher inflammatory values. An increase in the inflammatory markers calprotectin and beta-defensin-2 can be detected in the stool. With the Chronic gastrointestinal complaints (IBS) package, Darmklachten.nl also examines the presence of immunoglobulins. These contribute to a healthy immune system. In the Netherlands, 1 in 20 to 50 people with gastrointestinal complaints has low sIgA values, in other words too few immunoglobulins.

Leaky gut

With the Chronic gastrointestinal complaints (IBS) package, Darmklachten.nl measures the amount of zonulin. An increase in zonulin in the stool indicates increased permeability of the small intestine. This is referred to as a leaky gut.

Gluten markers

In the Chronic gastrointestinal complaints (IBS) package, the stool is tested for antibodies against anti-gliadin and anti-ht-transglutaminase. An increase in these antibodies indicates that the body reacts negatively to gluten. Sensitivity to gluten can cause gastrointestinal complaints.

Intestinal parasites

The Chronic gastrointestinal complaints (IBS) package from Darmklachten.nl includes analysis for two or six intestinal parasites: Dientamoeba fragilis and Blastocystis hominis, or D.fragilis, B.hominis, G.lamblia, Cryptosporidium spp., E.histolityca and C.cayetanensis. Infection occurs through contact with another person’s faeces, for example while changing a nappy. People who work in childcare, nursing or sewage treatment have an increased risk of infection. Particularly in these occupations, it is advisable to be tested for intestinal parasites through Darmklachten.nl if you have symptoms.

Helicobacter pylori (optional)

The Chronic gastrointestinal complaints (IBS) package – option 4 also offers the possibility of testing for Helicobacter pylori.
Helicobacter pylori is one of the few bacterial species that can survive in the acidic stomach. H.pylori can settle in the mucous membrane of the stomach wall and cause inflammation there. The bacterium is contagious and can be transmitted via the hands, food or water containing these bacteria. Many people carry H.pylori without symptoms, so detecting the bacterium is not in itself proof of an infection. H.pylori is detected more often in people with a migrant background, increases after the age of 45, occurs more often in men, and cigarette smoking represents an increased risk. If symptoms are present, a natural treatment can be used or a standard course of antibiotics can be prescribed by the GP.

Information

Would you like to identify the cause of your gastrointestinal problems? The Chronic gastrointestinal complaints (IBS) package from Darmklachten.nl contains various analyses to examine the condition of your intestines. Would you like more information about this test? Please contact us via 0582120025 or via info@darmklachten.nl. Or fill in the contact form on the website.