Psychiatric Comorbidities and Quality of Life in Irritable BoweL Disease-A Tertiary Care Study`

Abstract

Background: To investigate the prevalence of somatic and psychiatric comorbidities in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and to assess the quality of life of these patients.

Methods: The study included one hundred eighty-four IBS patients and 198 control subjects. The diagnosis of IBS was based on the Rome criteria III. The severity of IBS was assessed using the IBS scoring system. Third, a psychiatric evaluation was performed using the Patient Health Questionnaire. Finally, quality of life was assessed using WHO QOL-BREF.

Results: One hundred and forty-seven (79.9%) and 158 (85.9%) patients with IBS had at least one other FGID and somatic comorbidity, respectively. More patients had at least one psychiatric comorbidity compared with controls  (79.9% versus 34.3%; P < 0.001). Major depressive syndrome (47.3% vs 5.1%; P < 0.001), somatoform disorder (50% vs 14.6%; P < 0.001), and panic syndrome (44% vs 11.6%; P < 0.001) were more common in IBS than controls. Only 14 (7.6%) patients received medication for their psychiatric conditions. Severe IBS symptoms occurred in a significantly higher number of patients with constipation than those with diarrhoea. Patients with severe IBS had a higher prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities (95.1%) than patients with mild IBS. The quality of life of patients with IBS was significantly lower in all four domains than in controls. At least one other FGID was significantly associated with one or more psychiatric comorbidities (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Most patients with IBS who presented to a tertiary care centre had psychiatric and somatic comorbidities and limited quality of life. Very few of them received specific psychiatric treatment.