title: Psychological status in Iranian patients with ulcerative colitis and its relation to disease activity and quality of life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychological profile of inflammatory bowel disease patients is not well studied in Iran. We investigated the psychological status of Iranian patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and its relationship with disease activity and quality of life (QOL).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted on adult UC patients. The Lichtiger Colitis Activity Index, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, General Health Questionnaire-12, and WHOQOL-BREF, were completed by the patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 120 studied patients, 35 (29.2%), 48 (40.0%), and 46 (38.3%) had significant anxiety, depression, and psychological distress, respectively. Anxiety, depression, and psychological distress were strongly correlated with disease activity (r = 0.357 to 0.439, P < 0.01). Disease activity was negatively correlated with all QOL dimensions (r = -0.245 to -0.550, P < 0.01). Anxiety, depression, and psychological distress were also negatively correlated with all QOL domains (r = -0.356 to -0.789, P < 0.01). In the regression models, anxiety was independently associated with active disease (β = 4.150, P = 0.049). Furthermore, disease activity was associated with the physical health (β = -0.371, P < 0.001). For almost all of the QOL domains, depression and psychological distress were independent predictors (β = -0.296 to -0.453, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anxiety, depression, and psychological distress are highly frequent in UC patients of our society and are strongly associated with disease activity. Depression and psychological distress are important predictors of poor QOL in these patients. Further prospective studies, as well as clinical trials, are warranted in this regard.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahshid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tabatabaeian
authors.affiliation: Psychosomatic Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Afshar
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Rehabilitation Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid Reza
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Roohafza
authors.affiliation: Integrative Functional Gastroenterology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Daghaghzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Awat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feizi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran ; Psychosomatic Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sharbafchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tabatabaeian
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Fateme
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Naji
authors.affiliation: Integrative Functional Gastroenterology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Peyman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Adibi
keywords: Anxiety; depression; inflammatory bowel disease; psychological; quality of life; ulcerative colitis