Anxiety, Depression and Sleep Disturbance in Female Constipation Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Han, Sung Hee; Lee, Oh Young; Lee, Yoon Shin; Kim, Kwuy Bun; Yoon, Byung Chul; Choi, Ho Soon

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Psychological disturbances and sleep disturbances are frequently associated with the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The aim of this report was to evaluate the degree of anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance in female constipation-predominant IBS patients.
METHODS
In this study, 39 female constipation-predominant IBS patients and 53 healthy controls were included. Anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance were assessed with using Spielberger's state anxiety scale, Zung's self-rating depression scale and the Korean sleep scale. The correlations among anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance were evaluated, and the degrees of such symptoms according to the severity of the symptoms of IBS were evaluated.
RESULTS
The mean score of anxiety was higher in female constipation-predominant IBS patients than in the controls (p<0.001). The mean score of depression was higher in female constipation-predominant IBS patients than in the controls (p<0.001). The score for sleep disturbance was higher in the female constipation-predominant IBS patients than in the controls (p<0.001). The patients experienced more anxious moods and more depressive moods (r=.659, p<0.05). Also, significant correlations were found between such psychological distress as anxiety, depression and sleep complaints for the patients (r=-.368, r=-.567, p<0.05). The patients were more anxious (p=0.025), they had more depressed moods (p=0.009) and sleep complaints (p<0.001) as the severity of the gastrointestinal symptom increased.
CONCLUSIONS
Female constipation-predominant IBS patients have significantly more anxious and depressive traits and an impaired quality of sleep than did the healthy controls.