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Syndrome, Say What???
Around healthcare, you often hear the term syndrome. Metabolic syndrome…Carpal tunnel syndrome…Restless leg syndrome…Sudden infant death syndrome…Tourette syndrome…Irritable bowel syndrome. Sometimes we use the word so often out of habit but couldn’t really explain it to someone else if asked. Oftentimes, syndrome is used interchangeably with disease, but they shouldn’t be.
In the medical setting, disease refers to a pattern of established signs and symptoms related to a specific cause and process, i.e. cardiovascular disease, aka heart disease. The process within a disease is often more defined and predictable. On the other end of the spectrum, syndrome refers to a collection of signs and symptoms that does not have a well-defined process or specific cause at times, i.e. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Syndrome is Greek in origin meaning “runs together.” We use this term for a group of symptoms that “run together” without the full understanding of why or how sometimes.
Frequently with a syndrome, we identify the various signs and symptoms a person has in order to categorize the ailment, thereby making the diagnosis of a particular syndrome. With IBS as an example, there is no specific test that establishes this diagnosis. If other potential causes are ruled out, and the criteria for IBS matches, then the syndrome can be diagnosed. For comparison, a failed exercise stress test allows the diagnosis of heart disease.
But how do we develop criteria to make the diagnosis of a syndrome? Many times this involves a group of specialists in a particular area of medicine that develop the criteria based on available data and experience. For IBS, a collective committee known as the Rome Foundation made up of scientists and medical professionals developed the criteria to help guide clinicians in diagnosing someone with IBS. There are even multiple categories of IBS based on the predominance of symptoms such as experiencing mostly diarrhea, mostly constipation, or a combination of the two.
Treating syndromes can be difficult as well since many times the exact underlying cause of syndromes is so poorly understood. Often, the focus of treatment shifts to treating the symptoms. Because of this lack of knowledge around the cause, various syndromes are surrounded with ongoing research for better understanding, management, and prevention. This is just one of the reasons our focus at ClinPoint Trials involves research for conditions such as IBS. Check out our Current + Upcoming Studies link for more information on our IBS studies and more.
