Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Anger in IBS Patients

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal (GI) disorders seen by primary care physician and gastroenterologist. Gender-specific prevalence rates for IBS are approximately two female to one male in most studies, and all population based. It is commonly accepted that IBS seems to be influenced by psychosocial stressors and affective factors, whose role may contribute to the predisposition, precipitation and perpetuation of IBS symptoms, affecting also the clinical outcome. Forty-five patients with irritable bowel syndrome (5males, 40 females) and 50 healthy volunteers from the community (7males, 43females) matched for age, level of education and social-status were enrolled. After an examination by a gastroenterologist and a total colonoscopy, all IBS subjects evaluated with clinical interview conducted by psychiatrist. All the subjects were administered the STAXI-2 and DASS 21 tests. Participants included 45(47%) IBS patients (40% GAD, 24% depression, 18% OCD, 13% panic and 5% somatization disorder) with mean and standard deviation age of 38.44 (10.57) and 50 (53%) control with mean and standard deviation age of 35.42 (9.37). The results show significant differences in trait anger and Anger expression-out between IBS patients and the controls. From the present study it seems that IBS patients, compared with control subjects, were more psychologically distressed with higher degrees of depression, anxiety and anger. We suppose that psychological management are very important for reducing IBS symptoms, and it is clinically important to assess the psychological factors contributing to inducing IBS.