Key Word(s): 1. IBS; 2. FD; 3. GERD; 4. belching disorders; Table 1. The overlap prevalence of IBS with FD, GERD and BD among Korea, Hong Kong, China and western population Overlap pattem Korea Hong Kong China Westem population No. IBS (overlap prevalence %) No. IBS (overlap prevalence %) No. IBS (overlap prevalence %) No. IBS (overlap prevalence %) *population-based EGFR inhibitor study Presenting Author: GUOHUI JIAO Additional Authors: BANGMAO WANG, LU ZHOU, QINGYU ZHANG,

SHU LI, MEIYU PIAO, HAILONG CAO, SHUAI SU, LI LIANG, WEIQIANG WANG Corresponding Author: BANGMAO WANG Affiliations: Department of Gastroenterology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital Objective: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) requires functional recovery and becomes LY2157299 nmr a considerable financial burden to health service due to the consumption of resources. Probiotics have been investigated as a promising treatment for IBS. However, various prescription and heterogenic clinical evaluation are presented. Methods: Regarding the recommendation of probiotics in IBS, we evaluated the knowledge and practice of gastroenterologists and assess treatment strategies in IBS patients. Totally 198 participants from 83 medical centers in China filled

out a detailed questionnaire regarding probiotics and their prescribing experience. Results: Overall, 82% physicians held the view that probiotics were beneficial for IBS patients. Probiotics containing Bifidobacteria were used by 48% of the physicians participating in the

investigation followed by 25% of the physicians prescribed probiotics of Bacillus subtilis. Ninety-two percent of the physicians thought that IBS was the most suitable indication for probiotics, whereas inflammation bowel disease, ulcers and infections are among the following indications. Also, probiotics were used in senility and tumor auxiliary treatment. For diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) patients, probiotics showed prominent effect on watery stool with increase in defecation frequency. Further, for constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C) patients, probiotics were mostly used to alleviate the symptom of abdominal pain and distension with decrease in defecation frequency. For individual experience, combination 上海皓元 of gastrointestinal motility-regulated drug or traditional Chinese drugs with probiotics was more effective for the aged people with IBS-D. Independent organizations and agencies were appeared to be the preferred source of information on the functionality of probiotics. In addition, experience sharing on the drugs in work-shops is becoming more popular. Conclusion: The concept of probiotics is generally well understood and become more properly and widely used in clinicians. With regard to the identified differences in prescription preference according to patients’ clinical manifestation, further studies are needed to examine the better therapeutic strategy. Key Word(s): 1. IBS; 2. probiotics; 3.