Somatosensory changes in the referred pain area in patients with definitive irritable bowel syndrome

Introduction: Somatosensory hyperalgesia in the referred pain area (RPA) in patients with chronic abdominal pain syndromes may result from the convergence of nerve fibres from visceral and somatic tissues at the spinal and supraspinal levels. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cutaneous neural sensory perception in the RPA in patients with definitely irritable bowel syndrome and chronic left lower quadrant (LLQ) abdominal pain. Aims and methods: 22 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and 27 age-matched healthy volunteers were prospectively investigated by quantitative sensory testing (Neur…