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Published on: September 22, 2019
Inflammatory bowel disease
Eva Szigethy1, Laura McLafferty, Alka Goyal
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. szigethye@upmc.edu
Insights
Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often leads to psychological issues like depression and anxiety. Interventions can help manage these challenges and improve quality of life for young patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Child Psychology
- Chronic Disease Management
Background:
- Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, presents lifelong medical challenges.
- IBD in children and adolescents is frequently accompanied by significant psychological and psychosocial difficulties.
- Depression and anxiety are common, stemming from disease-related factors (cytokines, steroids) and psychosocial stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the etiology, clinical characteristics, and treatment of pediatric-onset IBD.
- To examine the psychological sequelae associated with IBD in youth.
- To explore effective interventions for managing IBD-related psychological distress.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on pediatric IBD.
- Analysis of the interplay between IBD, its treatments, and psychological outcomes.
- Evaluation of evidence for psychological interventions in pediatric IBD patients.
Main Results:
- Pediatric IBD is linked to substantial medical morbidity and psychological distress.
- Multifaceted causes contribute to anxiety and depression in young IBD patients.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnosis, and educational resources show promise in improving mental health and quality of life.
Conclusions:
- Psychological interventions are effective in alleviating anxiety and depression in youth with IBD.
- These interventions can enhance health-related quality of life for affected children and adolescents.
- Further research is needed to determine the impact of these interventions on IBD severity and disease course.
Abstract:
This article reviews the etiology, clinical characteristics, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and associated psychological sequelae in children and adolescents with this lifelong disease. Pediatric-onset IBD, consisting of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, has significant medical morbidity and in many young persons is also associated with psychological and psychosocial challenges. Depression and anxiety are particularly prevalent and have a multifaceted etiology, including IBD-related factors such as cytokines and steroids used to treat IBD and psychosocial stress. A growing number of empirically supported interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnosis, and educational resources, help youth and their parents cope with IBD as well as the psychological and psychosocial sequelae. While there is convincing evidence that such interventions can help improve anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life, their effects on IBD severity and course await further study.
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