Irritable bowel syndrome-like symptoms in treated microscopic colitis patients compared with controls : a cross-sectional study

• Background: The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like symptoms is high in untreated patients with microscopic colitis MC), but there is uncertainty of the prevalence of IBS-like symptoms in treated patients. We assessed the degree of IBS-like symptoms in patients with MC in comparison to control subjects, and investigated the association between IBS-like symptoms and faecal calprotectin (FC) in MC patients. Methods: Patients with an established MC diagnosis (n = 57) were compared to sex- and age-matched controls (n = 138) for scores in the GSRS-IBS (Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale for Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and HADS (Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale). In MC patients, an FC level was simultaneously analysed. Results: The median interval from MC diagnoses to the time the subjects participated in the study was 5.5 years (25th-75th percentiles; 4.5-9.5 years). The total GSRS-IBS score, subscores for abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhoea were significantly higher in MC patients compared to controls (all P< 0.001). There was a significant correlation between FC levels and reported bowel frequency (P = 0.023), but there was no correlation between FC levels and GSRS-IBS scores. Patients with MC had significantly higher scores on anxiety (HADS-A) (P< 0.001) and used more selective serotonin-reuptake-inhibitor drugs (P = 0.016) than the control subjects. However, only the control subjects (not the patients with MC) showed significant correlations between GSRS-IBS scores and HADS scores. Conclusions: Patients with MC reported more IBS-like symptoms and anxiety than control subjects but neither FC levels nor symptoms of affectivity were significantly correlated with IBS-like symptoms.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Gastroenterologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Gastroenterology and Hepatology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

microscopic colitis

irritable bowel syndrome

calprotectin

anxiety

depression

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)