Rome Publication Success
by Douglas Drossman, MD
The Rome Foundation’s mission to further the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of gut-brain interactions (DGBI) made exciting strides this fall with three groundbreaking articles published in the prestigious journal Gastroenterology in just over a few months time.
The articles highlight the Foundation’s groundbreaking work in research and clinical care. We are dedicated to bringing new science to the field, establishing better diagnostic guidelines for clinicians, and finding ways to help clinicians better apply new scientific developments to the care of their patients.
The first publication in the November issue of Gastroenterology by Drossman et al. is entitled: “A Review of the Evidence and Recommendations on Communication Skills and the Patient-Provider Relationship: A Rome Foundation Working Team Report.” The report proves that effective communication skills and patient-centered care optimize the patient-provider relationship (PPR), improve symptoms and clinical outcomes, and reduce medical costs.
The second publication in Gastroenterology by Keefer et al. is entitled: “A Rome Working Team Report on Brain-Gut Behavior Therapies for Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction.” The study educates clinicians on various therapies that may be effective as part of the treatment plan for patients suffering with DGBI, including cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT), hypnosis, relaxation methods, and others. It also identifies which of the various DGBI conditions or psychosocial features could be targeted by the various types of treatments.
The third paper, also published online by Drs. Drossman and Tack is entitled: “Rome Foundation Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI)“. It presents the new Rome IV clinical diagnostic criteria endorsed by the Rome Foundation Board of Directors. These clinical criteria retain the clinical features of the traditional Rome IV criteria used for research for diagnosing DGBI, but remove the duration and frequency requirement which has delayed diagnosis in the past. With the new criteria, clinicians can diagnose and start treatment sooner.