Structured psychiatric interviews and psychological self-report measures
were administered to 28 patients with irritable bowel syndrome and 19
patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Significantly more of the
patients with irritable bowel syndrome had lifetime diagnoses of major
depression, somatization disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic
disorder, and phobic disorder. They had significantly more medically
unexplained somatic symptoms, and most had suffered from psychiatric
disorders, particularly anxiety disorders, before the onset of their
irritable bowel symptoms.
Abstract Teaser