title: The lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders among patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the most common functional gastrointestinal disorder, ranges from 10% to 20% in the general population. It is estimated that from 40% to 90% of persons with a diagnosis of IBS suffer from mental disorders, mainly anxiety and depressive disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assess the lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders in IBS patients and to compare it with the prevalence of these disorders in a control group of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 106 patients with IBS and 53 patients with GERD. IBS was diagnosed according to the Rome II criteria after a basic evaluation to exclude an organic disease. Anxiety disorders were diagnosed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) in accordance with ICD-10 diagnostic criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anxiety disorders during the patient's lifetime were diagnosed in 50 IBS patients (47%). Specific phobias occurred in 23.5% of them, social phobias in 10.4%, generalized anxiety disorder in 10.4%, panic disorder in 3.8% and agoraphobia in 8.5%. In the control group with GERD, anxiety disorders during the subject's lifetime were diagnosed in 30% of the group. The difference in the prevalence of anxiety disorders between patients with IBS and GERD was statistically significant (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders in IBS patients was higher than in the control group with GERD (47% vs. 30%). The prevalence rate of anxiety disorders in the control group with GERD was similar to the prevalence rate in the general population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grzesiak
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Jan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Beszłej
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mulak
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szechiński
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szewczuk-Bogusławska
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Waszczuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kantorska
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Frydecka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult