Gastrointestinal complaints among subjects with depressive symptoms in the general population

Patients with depression have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) more often than do nondepressed patients, but the comorbidity of depression and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in the general population has received little study.

To study the co-occurrence of depressive and GI symptoms in a general population sample and to assess the rate of health-care utilization particularly for GI reasons among subjects with depressive symptoms.

A questionnaire containing the Finnish version of the Beck Depression Inventory Short Form and questions covering GI symptoms according to Rome II criteria was mailed to 5000 randomly selected adults.

Response rate was 73%. Prevalence of depressive symptoms was 17% (95% CI: 15.7-18.2). Frequent abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation, dyspepsia or IBS were present in 54% of those with depressive symptoms and in 29% of nondepressed controls (P < 0.0001). Of those with depressive symptoms, 24% had visited a physician at least once because of abdominal symptoms during the previous year, compared to 13% of controls (P < 0.0001).

Depressive symptoms are prevalent in the general population. They are associated with a high rate of GI symptoms, leading to increased use of health-care services and work absenteeism because of abdominal complaints.