Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number Is Associated with the Severity of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as a gastrointestinal disorder, presents with abdomen pain and alterations in the bowel habits. Its pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we examined mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtCN) in IBS and its clinical value. : mtCN was analyzed in 43 IBS patients using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, data on the clinical characteristics of patients and symptom severity of IBS were collected, and their association with mtCN was analyzed. : mtCN was higher in patients with IBS ( = 0.008) and those with a drinking habit ( = 0.004). Smoking and the presence of a sleep partner showed a possible association with mtCN; however, it did not reach significance. The severity of IBS symptoms tended to positively correlate with mtCN (r = 0.279, = 0.070). : Overall, we demonstrated a potential association between mtCN and the clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with IBS. Further studies considering genetic and clinical factors are required.