Epithelial cells lining the gastrointestinal tract serve as a barrier between the gut lumen and the body. Previous study has shown that epithelium is punctuated by discontinuities named gaps. Confocal laser endomicroscopy could be used as a useful tool for detecting epithelial gaps in vivo, and epithelial gap density in terminal ileum of IBD patients was elevated compared with normal control using CLE. So this study aims to determine whether the density of epithelial gaps in terminal ileum of patients with IBS is different from that in IBD patients and normal controls by CLE, and to evaluate the relationship between the density of epithelial gaps and IBS subtypes, and visceral hypersensitivity.
The study aims to:~Determine whether the density of epithelial gaps in terminal ileum of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is different from that in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and normal controls by confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE).~Evaluate the relationship between the density of epithelial gaps and IBS subtypes, and visceral hypersensitivity.