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Antidepressants and inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review
Antonina A Mikocka-Walus1, Deborah A Turnbull, Nicole T Moulding
1School of Psychology and Discipline of General Practice, University of Adelaide, and Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and General Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia, Australia. antonina.mikockawalus@adelaide.edu.au
Antidepressants may help manage inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms, but current evidence is limited. More rigorous clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy of antidepressants for IBD patients.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Emerging evidence suggests a connection between psychological factors and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) progression.
- Antidepressant pharmacotherapy for psychological comorbidities in IBD is under-explored.
- A systematic analysis of antidepressants for somatic symptom control in IBD is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically analyze existing studies on the efficacy of antidepressants for managing somatic symptoms in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted, with no language restrictions.
- All relevant publications issued after 1990 were included in the review.
Main Results:
- Twelve publications were identified, all non-randomized studies.
- Paroxetine, bupropion, and phenelzine showed potential efficacy for both psychological and somatic symptoms in IBD.
- Amitriptyline was ineffective for somatic symptoms, and mirtazapine was not recommended.
Conclusions:
- While many studies suggest antidepressant benefits for IBD patients, reliable data is insufficient to confirm efficacy.
- Further well-designed clinical trials are necessary to establish the role of antidepressants in IBD management.
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