Insecure attachment in a subgroup with ulcerative colitis defined by ANCA status.
This study is the first test of the novel hypothesis that perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (p-ANCA) marks an etiological division between stress-susceptible and stress-neutral ulcerative colitis. Subjects were 47 UC patients with known p-ANCA status (19 p-ANCA-positive, 28 p-ANCA-absent). Controls were 77 university students. Subjects and controls completed the Reciprocal Attachment Questionnaire. Subjects were categorized as avoidant/nonavoidant and anxious/nonanxious based on scores for compulsive self-reliance and compulsive care seeking, respectively. A higher prevalence of avoidant attachment was present in p-ANCA-absent (58.6%) than p-ANCA-positive subjects (22.2%, chi-square = 5.95, P < 0.02). There was no difference in the prevalence of anxious attachment between p-ANCA-absent and p-ANCA-positive subjects. There was no difference in clinical and psychiatric variables between groups. This finding provides support for a psychobiological contribution to UC in a subgroup identified by the absence of p-ANCA.
Maunder
R G
RG
Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai Hospital and University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Lancee
W J
WJ
Greenberg
G R
GR
Hunter
J J
JJ
Fernandes
B J
BJ
D000328:Adult; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / Q000032:analysis*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors
D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic