Psychiatric comorbidities in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Psychiatric comorbidities are associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We conducted an observational study to evaluate the prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with IBD.

Seventy consecutive consenting patients with IBD (62 ulcerative colitis [UC], 8 Crohn's disease [CD]; 40 males, mean age [SD] 36.2 [11.3] years) and 100 healthy volunteers (44 males, age 31.22 [SD] [10.5] years) as controls were enrolled. All participants were directed to take self-assessment tests, Patient Health Questionnaire -9 (PHQ-9) and Symptom Checklist Anxiety Scale (SCL-A20). Participants having a score ≥ 10 on PHQ-9, or ≥ 29 on SCL-A20 were administered the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) or Hamilton Anxiety (HAM-A) scales, respectively. The severity of depression and anxiety was graded with HAM-D and HAM-A scales, respectively. The protocol was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee.

The prevalence of depression (34.3% vs. 5%, p < 0.0001, OR 9.7) and anxiety (18.6% vs. 2%, p = 0.0002, OR 11.17) was higher in patients with IBD as compared to controls. The severity of depression was higher in patients compared to controls (mean rank 17 vs. 7, p = 0.04). The prevalence of depression was not different between UC and CD; all IBD patients with anxiety had UC. The mean duration of disease and history of corticosteroid treatment or surgery for IBD were not associated with the presence of depression or anxiety. Patients with severe CD (Crohn's disease activity index, CDAI > 450) had more severe depression. The severity of UC did not correlate with severity of anxiety or depression in UC.

Anxiety and depression are more prevalent in IBD patients as compared to healthy individuals.