BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that psychopathology in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients is a function of patient status rather than of the disease. Although there are many studies comparing IBS patients, IBS non-patients, and controls with each other, no previous study has recruited all three groups from a representative community sample and had all subjects diagnosed by a physician. In the present study we aimed to compare psychological factors in IBS patients, IBS non-patients, and normal controls in a sample recruited from the population. METHODS:Subjects aged 18-45 years were recruited from a random sample of the normal population. Seventeen (2 M and 15 F) IBS patients were matched by sex and age with IBS non-patients and normals. Measures of personality traits, interpersonal distress, and temporary psychological distress were used. A physician diagnosed all 51 subjects in order to exclude possible gastrointestinal diagnoses other than IBS. RESULTS: Controls often differed from IBS non-patients and patients on the personality, interpersonal, and psychological distress measures, while IBS non-patients and patients very rarely differed from each other. All three groups were non-alexithymic. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that there are psychopathological differences between normals and IBS persons (patients and non-patients), but they could not confirm that psychopathology was a function of patient status. Whether this psychopathology is a vulnerability factor for IBS, or a consequence of it, remains to be studied.
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BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that psychopathology in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients is a function of patient status rather than of the disease. Although there are many studies comparing IBSpatients, IBS non-patients, and controls with each other, no previous study has recruited all three groups from a representative community sample and had all subjects diagnosed by a physician. In the present study we aimed to compare psychological factors in IBSpatients, IBS non-patients, and normal controls in a sample recruited from the population. METHODS: Subjects aged 18-45 years were recruited from a random sample of the normal population. Seventeen (2 M and 15 F) IBSpatients were matched by sex and age with IBS non-patients and normals. Measures of personality traits, interpersonal distress, and temporary psychological distress were used. A physician diagnosed all 51 subjects in order to exclude possible gastrointestinal diagnoses other than IBS. RESULTS: Controls often differed from IBS non-patients and patients on the personality, interpersonal, and psychological distress measures, while IBS non-patients and patients very rarely differed from each other. All three groups were non-alexithymic. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that there are psychopathological differences between normals and IBSpersons (patients and non-patients), but they could not confirm that psychopathology was a function of patient status. Whether this psychopathology is a vulnerability factor for IBS, or a consequence of it, remains to be studied.
Authors: Arnstein Mykletun; Felice Jacka; Lana Williams; Julie Pasco; Margaret Henry; Geoffrey C Nicholson; Mark A Kotowicz; Michael Berk Journal: BMC Gastroenterol Date: 2010-08-05 Impact factor: 3.067
Authors: Daniel J Smith; Daniel Martin; Gary McLean; Julie Langan; Bruce Guthrie; Stewart W Mercer Journal: BMC Med Date: 2013-12-23 Impact factor: 8.775