Functional gastrointestinal disorders
The functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are a set of conditions characterized by their chronic GI manifestations, in the absence of structural abnormality of the gut. These conditions are common and may be disabling in nature. The understanding of their pathogenesis is incomplete, complex and linked to dysfunctioning of the gut-brain axis, the gut microbiome and/or immune system.
The spectrum of described disorders is very broad and includes:
- irritable bowel syndrome
- functional dyspepsia
- abdominal migraine
- cyclic vomiting syndrome
The functional gastrointestinal disorders form part of the wider spectrum of functional somatic syndromes, which includes poorly-understood conditions like fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.
