title: Six-year follow-up of patients with functional bowel disorders, with and without previous psychotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Long-term follow-up studies in patients with functional bowel disorders are rare.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 85 patients with functional bowel disorders diagnosed in 2000, forty-eight patients responded to a postal questionnaire 6 years later (2006).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gastrointestinal symptom severity was similar to that at the initial diagnosis. Anxiety and depression (HADS) were significantly decreased, however, depending on previous psychotherapy (PT) experience. Men but not women that had participated in PT exhibited reduced symptoms more pronounced than did patients without PT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anxiety and depression may determine consulting behaviour, but this appears unrelated to intestinal symptoms and their severity. Short-term PT contributes to long-term well-being especially in men.
authors.affiliation: University Medical Hospital, Dept. of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Martens
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caspari
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rilk
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hefner
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teufel
authors.forename: Sibylle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klosterhalfen
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zipfel
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Enck