Romekriteerit

Romekriteerit is a Finnish term that translates to "Rome criteria" in English. It refers to a set of diagnostic criteria used to identify patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). These criteria were developed by a group of experts at a consensus meeting in Rome, Italy, hence the name. The Rome criteria have been updated several times, with the most recent iteration being the Rome IV criteria, published in 2016.

The core of the Rome criteria focuses on recurrent abdominal pain associated with defecation or related to a change in stool frequency or form. For a diagnosis of IBS, symptoms must have been present for at least the last three months and have an onset at least six months prior to diagnosis. Specific subtypes of IBS are defined based on the predominant stool pattern, such as IBS with constipation (IBS-C), IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D), mixed IBS (IBS-M), and unclassified IBS (IBS-U).

The Rome IV criteria also emphasize the importance of patient-reported outcomes and the impact of IBS on quality of life. They distinguish IBS from other functional gastrointestinal disorders and aim to provide a standardized approach to diagnosis and management. Healthcare professionals use the Rome criteria to ensure consistent diagnosis and to guide treatment strategies for individuals suffering from IBS. The criteria are crucial for research as well, allowing for comparable patient populations across studies.