The analysis of anxiety and depression in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Objective To discuss psychiatric and psychological factors in the onset of irritable bowel syndrome by comparing the levels of anxiety and depression between IBS patients and healthy subjects and discuss their association with sex,age,occupation.Methods Anxiety and depression were assessed by self-rating anxiety scale and self-rating depression scale in IBS patients and healthy subjects respectively.Results The scores of anxiety and depression were significantly higher in IBS patients than those in healthy subjects(48.72±9.98 vs 41.44±5.83;53.17±12.57 vs 41.97±6.59;P 0.01).The scores of anxiety and depression were significantly higher in female patients than those in male IBS patients(50.27±10.57 vs 46.48±8.65;55.03±12.58 vs 50.48±12.17;P 0.05).The more severe patients felt,the more anxiety and depression happened(40.9%,39.7%,70.2%,P0.05;45.5%,46.6%,85.1%,P 0.01).However,there was no significant correlation of anxiety and depression with age and occupation of IBS patients.Conclusion Anxiety and depression occur more frequently in IBS patients than those in healthy subjects,and correlate with the severity of IBS symptom.Anxiety and depression are more frequently seen in female than that in male patients with IBS.But there was no significant link of anxiety and depression with ages and occupations of IBS patients.