Blood lead level in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Summary Background Irritable bowel syndrome and elevated blood lead level share certain gastrointestinal symptoms. Objective We measured blood lead levels in IBS patients, comparing them with IBS severity. Methods This cross-sectional study included 324 patients with newly diagnosed IBS and 147 healthy subjects as control. All participants completed a questionnaire on their current gastrointestinal symptoms and a blood sample was taken so as to determine the blood lead level via atomic absorption spectrophotometer technique. Patients were subsequently assessed in terms of IBS severity. Findings Mean blood lead level was significantly higher in the IBS group compared to the control group (7.5 ± 5.4 mcg/dL vs. 5.8 ± 3.4 mcg/dL, P  = 0.001). Moreover, 59% of IBS patients and 44% of the healthy subjects had blood lead level > 5 mcg/dL ( P  = 0.004). Only 38% of patients with diarrhea alone versus 59–83% in the other groups had high blood lead levels ( P P Conclusion High blood lead level may be a concern in IBS patients, particularly in IBS-C and unclassified IBS groups and those with severe gastrointestinal manifestations.