Irritable bowel syndrome in psychiatric perspective : clinical and therapeutic implications.
Year: 2016
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is the most common functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder observed in patients who visit general practitioners for GIrelated complaints. A high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities, particularly anxiety and depressive disorders, has been reported in patients with IBS, suggesting that this association should always be considered in this setting. In order to better define the relationship between IBS and psychiatric disorders, one hundred and fifty subjects with diagnosis of IBS and relative subclassification (constipated, diarrhea and alternating bowel) were assessed for gastrointestinal and mental functioning at the Gastroenterological Department of University of Pisa. Over half of the subjects in the sample (56%) showed “psychopathological features” (term that covers both Axis I diagnosis both previous or current drug / psychological treatment). In this group GI symptoms severity was higher and quality of life more unsatisfactory than in the group without any psychiatric implications (44%). Second objective of the study was to examine the efficacy of SSRI (paroxetine) in IBS patients. With the limit due to small sample size of IBS patients suitable for treatment paroxetine showed a significant improvement not only at psychiatric but also at GI evaluations. Moreover, efficacy on abdominal symptoms was independent by the presence of psychopathological features or by quality of life and satisfaction. Consequently this study emphasizes the importance of the assessment of all IBS subjects for clear or subclinical psychiatric comorbidities that are suggestive to correlate with the severity of GI symptoms and functional impairment.
Author: CASERTA, ANNA
Language: English
Subfield: Gastroenterology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7057485763