Gut: The relationship between depression and intestinal disease

In a recent study published in GUT, researchers from St. George's University and Imperial College in the United Kingdom analyzed more than 15,000 cases and found that people with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis were more likely to experience depression in the years before diagnosis.Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea or rectal bleeding, which many people have in the years before diagnosis. The study analyzed the link between depression and the risk of developing IBD later in life.in this study, researchers used the clinical practice data chain to conduct a nested case-control study that identified 4,531 cases of Crohn's disease and 10,829 cases of ulcerative colitis between 1998 and 2016.researchers found that people with IBD were 40 percent more likely to be diagnosed with depression within nine years of diagnosis than those who did not, and those who reported gastrointestinal symptoms before developing depressive symptoms were 40 percent more likely to develop IBD., however, depressed individuals without previous gastrointestinal symptoms were less likely to be diagnosed with IBD than those without depressive symptoms.study shows that depression itself is not a risk factor for IBD, however, people with depressive symptoms and past gastrointestinal symptoms may be more likely to develop Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.The relationship between depression and IBD is unclear, but it is likely that some people experience gastrointestinal symptoms that led to depression before they were diagnosed with IBD," explained Jonathan Blackwell, lead author of the study and professor of digestive medicine at Imperial College Public Health and St George's University in London. If you suffer from depression and have abdominal pain, diarrhea, or rectal bleeding, you should see a doctor and have a check-up, as this may be treatable.Professor Sonia Saxena, co-author of the study and a professor at Imperial College Public Health, said: "For GPs and clinicians, the main message of this study is that when patients report feeling anxious or depressed and have symptoms such as diarrhoea, abdominal pain or rectal bleeding, they need to think through whether this is related to underlying diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease. " need to be extra vigilant during a pandemic, as it is difficult to find signs of depression, anxiety or depression over the phone, and these symptoms are easily thought to be linked to the current global crisis."Professor Richard Pollok,co-author of the study and director of the Institute of Infections and Immunology at St George's University, added: Insceptive crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis symptoms can lead to depression." Now, during a pandemic, it is more important than ever to diagnose these bowel diseases in a timely manner to protect the physical and mental health of patients. Linkpaper: