Researchers have shown that there is a genetic risk factor and linkage between IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and endometriosis. Endometriosis affected 1 in 7 women, and women that have endometriosis are twice as likely to have an IBS diagnosis compared to those without endometriosis. PDE4B's encoded protein is a target of the drug pentoxifylline, and it shows effectiveness in reducing pain in these patients that have endometriosis and IBS. It is known that endometriosis can run in families and be a heritable disease that affects some women, but not others in a family. It was found that 42 areas across the genome that have the variants increase the risk of endometriosis.
Understanding the genetic connection between these two diseases is crucial in finding ways we can treat or prevent these. In addition, finding proteins and drugs to successfully treat these complex and debilitating diseases is crucial in being able to either cure or prevent these from affecting anyone in the long run. A large number of women are affected by either one or both of these connected conditions, and there aren't many current treatment options to help alleviate the pain. Understanding the genetic connection and inheritance patterns between these conditions could be the first step in treating it, but there are limited research studies on this that have been successful thus far.
As someone who has endometriosis passed down in their family, studies like this are important. From my personal experience, I have not seen a shared commonality between iBS and endometriosis but it is good to know if issues like this are possible in the future in order to take preventative measures.
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