title: Comparison of Hypnotherapy and Standard Medical Treatment Alone on Quality of Life in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Control Trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most prevalent gastroenterological disorders. IBS is characterized by abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, constipation, bloating and flatulence. Complementary therapy is a group of diverse therapeutic and health care systems products that are used in treatment of IBS. Hypnotherapy helps to alleviate the symptoms of a broad range of diseases and conditions. It can be used independently or along with other treatments.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to compare therapeutic effect of hypnotherapy plus standard medical treatment and standard medical treatment alone on quality of life in patients with IBS.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a clinical trial investigating 60 patients who were enrolled according to Rome-III criteria. The sample size was determined per statistical advice, previous studies, and the formula of sample size calculation. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups of hypnotherapy plus standard medical treatment group (n: 30), and standard medical treatment group (30). The study consisted of three steps; prior to treatment, after treatment and six months after the last intervention (follow-up). The instruments of data gathering were a questionnaire of demographic characteristics and standard questionnaire of quality of life for IBS patients (Quality of Life IBS-34). The data were analysed by analysis of co-variance, Levene's test and descriptive statistics in SPSS-18.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences between the two groups of study in post-treatment and follow-up stage with regards to quality of life (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychological intervention, particularly hypno-therapy, alongside standard medical therapy could contribute to improving quality of life, pain and fatigue, and psychological disorder in IBS patients resistant to treatment. Also, therapeutic costs, hospital stay and days lost from work could be decreased and patients' efficiency could be increased.
authors.affiliation: PhD Candidate of Health Psychology, Islamic Azad University , Karaj branch, Karaj, Iran .
authors.forename: Korosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shahbazi
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences , Rahmatieh, Shahrekord, Iran .
authors.forename: Kamal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Solati
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Nursing and Midwifery Holistic Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences , Shahrekord, Iran .
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasanpour-Dehkordi
keywords: Complementary medicine; Inflammatory bowel disease(HBD); Quality of life