title: Effects on gastrointestinal transit and antroduodenojejunal manometry after gut-directed hypnotherapy in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gut-directed hypnotherapy is an effective treatment in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but little is known about the mechanisms of action. In this study we aimed to investigate the effects on gastrointestinal motility when treating IBS with gut-directed hypnotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomized 90 patients with IBS, refractory to standard management to receive gut-directed hypnotherapy 1 h/week for 12 weeks or supportive treatment for the same time period. Eighty-one subjects (40 hypnotherapy, 41 controls) could be evaluated by one or more of the following investigations, both before and after the intervention: gastric emptying time, small bowel transit time, colonic transit time, and antroduodenojejunal manometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences in gastric emptying time, small bowel transit time, or colonic transit time was found when comparing the baseline and post-intervention measurements in the hypnotherapy group or in the control group. The same was true concerning the results of the antroduodenojejunal manometry. However, there was a numerical trend toward a higher number of migrating motor complexes at manometry and an accelerated gastric emptying time after hypnotherapy that did not reach statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, we were not able to find evidence for long-standing effects on gastrointestinal motility as a mediator of the effects on IBS when treating the condition with gut-directed hypnotherapy. Further research to understand the mechanism of action is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. perjohan.lindfors@aleris.se
authors.forename: Perjohan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lindfors
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Törnblom
authors.forename: Riadh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sadik
authors.forename: Einar S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Björnsson
authors.forename: Hasse
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abrahamsson
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simrén
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004386:Duodenum / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric