title: Common symptoms and stressors among individuals with inflammatory bowel diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated symptoms and stressful life events over a 1-year period in a population-based sample of persons with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants from the University of Manitoba IBD Research Registry (n = 704) completed 5 surveys, given every 3 months for 1 year (552 completed all the surveys). Respondents were asked to indicate the specific gastrointestinal and other symptoms, if any, they had experienced in the previous 3-month period and to document any significant stressors experienced. The Manitoba IBD Index was used to categorize active versus inactive disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In any 3-month period, participants with Crohn's disease, compared with those with ulcerative colitis (UC), reported more diarrhea (63% vs 38%), fatigue (54% vs 33%), abdominal pain (47% vs 32%), aching joints (42% vs 29%), painful joints (24% vs 16%), fever or night sweats (24% vs 15%), nausea/vomiting (18% vs 7%), and reductions in appetite (19% vs 11%) (P < .001 for each symptom). Individuals with ulcerative colitis complained more of stool mucous or blood than those with Crohn's disease (27% vs 17%; P < .001). In periods of inactive disease, participants still experienced symptoms such as aching joints (17%), fatigue (15%), diarrhea (13%), or abdominal pain (9%). In any 3-month period, approximately 50% experienced some type of stress; family stress was the most commonly reported form, followed by work or school and financial stress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diarrhea and fatigue are the 2 most common symptoms of individuals with IBD. Those with inactive disease still report symptoms. Almost 50% of participants reported significant stress in any 3-month period, but the primary types were everyday life stressors more so than health-related stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Sunny
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanchard
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Lesley A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Graff
authors.forename: Norine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Charles N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Bernstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008350:Manitoba; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires