Possibilities of Pathogenetic Therapy in Patients with Functional Pathology of the Digestive System

INTRODUCTION: Functional diseases of the gastrointestinal tract presents a real problem to public health. The basis of effective therapy for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia (FD) is a combined use of symptom-reducing drugs. AIM: To assess the dynamics of the intensity of abdominal pain and changes in the motility of stomach and intestine after treatment of patients with IBS, and with IBS in combination with FD, with STW 5 preparation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 28 patients with IBS, including patients with a combination of IBS and FD, were taking STW 5 orally, 20 drops 3 times daily before meals for 14 days, to relieve clinical symptoms. Before and after treatment, patients completed a survey using VAS and ‘7 × 7' questionnaires and underwent peripheral electrogastroenterocolography (EGECG). RESULTS: The level of abdominal pain before treatment in patients with predominating constipation corresponded to a moderate degree of intensity, in patients with diarrhea to a mild degree of intensity. During treatment, 32.1% of patients noted relief of abdominal pain in the second week of treatment; bloating was less common and/or did not occur in 71.4% of patients; 42.9% of study participants noted normalization of stool frequency and/or stool shape. Improvement of clinical condition in terms of FD symptoms was observed in 76.9% of patients with IBS and FD. The use of STW 5 was associated with a 51.3% reduction of pain intensity (p < 0.001) after a week of treatment. Mean changes in the colon coefficient rhythmicity (Crhythm) according to the results of EGECG after treatment in patients with constipation reliably differed from the level of change in Crhythm in patients with diarrhea (p = 0.047). CONCLUSION: The results of the study confirm the effectiveness of STW 5 in the treatment of patients with IBS, and with IBS in combination with FD.