Anxiety increases irritable bowel risk

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

People who are driven and anxious are more likely to develop irritable bowel syndrome, according to a survey.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects around one in ten people and is characterized by diarrhea - or constipation - bloating and pain. The underlying causes are not well understood. In a new study, researchers at the University of Southampton, UK, look at how emotions might affect the development of IBS.

They looked at a group of 620 people who had confirmed gastroenteritis caused by a bacterial infection. None had had IBS before. Gastroenteritis is a known trigger of IBS. Participants answered a questionnaire dealing with mood, stress levels, perfectionism and illness beliefs and behaviors. The researchers then monitored them at three and six months to see if they developed IBS. Forty nine of the group had IBS at both time points, with women being twice as likely to develop the condition as men. Those with IBS were twice as likely to report high levels of stress and anxiety and psychosomatic symptoms compared to those who did not develop IBS. They were also more likely to describe themselves as 'driven' - that is, they would carry on working till forced to rest. This is a pattern of behavior which can only worsen IBS, the researchers say. These findings suggest that cognitive behavior therapy could be a good way of managing IBS.

Source
Gut online 25th February 2007

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