Evaluation of Anxiety and Depression Disorders in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Golestan Province, North of Iran

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a common gastrointestinal disease which is associated with psychosocial factors. IBD is a gastrointestinal disease with chronic recurrence and with an uncontrolled immune response. There is no definitive treatment for IBD and treatment is based on management of inflammatory response during relapse and maintain of recovery. This study was conducted for evaluation of anxiety and depression disorders in patients with IBD in Golestan province, north of Iran during 2017.

In this descriptive-analytical study, 117 patients (67 women and 50 men) aged 17-75 years with IBD registered in IBD bank in Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology& Hepatology (GRCGH), north of Iran during 2017. Diagnosis was made by conventional endoscopy, radiology and histological criteria. Demographic information including age, sex, race and marital status, time of diagnosis until now and duration of treatment are recorded. Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) were used for determine depression and anxiety in these patients.

80.3% ulcerative colitis and 19.7% Crohn's disease was observed in patients. The mean of total anxiety score in the group with Crohn's disease was higher than ulcerative colitis but there was no significant difference. Total score of depression was similar and not significant in both groups. There was a significant statistical relationship between marital status and anxiety in patients with ulcerative colitis only (P<0.05). As borderline and suspicious status of the patient in married patients is 42.4% and in single patients is 33.3%. Abnormal anxiety state was 31.8% in married patients and not seen in single patients. A positive and significant correlation was seen between total anxiety scale and total depression scale in patients with ulcerative colitis (correlation index: 0.657, P<0.0001) and in patients with Crohn's disease (correlation index: 0.644, P<0.001). Therefore in these patients, if depression increases, anxiety was also increasd. Anxiety observed in 29.8% and 26.1% of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, respectively. Depression disorders observed in 18.1% and 8.7% of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, respectively.

This study showed that the level of anxiety and depression in patients with inflammatory disease is very high.