Published online Sep 22, 2016. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v6.i3.322
Peer-review started: February 12, 2016
First decision: April 15, 2016
Revised: April 25, 2016
Accepted: June 14, 2016
Article in press: June 16, 2016
Published online: September 22, 2016
To investigate the association of psychiatric and psychosocial correlates with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity in children and adolescents.
A total of 85 pediatric IBD patients (in remission or active state of the disease) and their parents completed a series of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews measuring life events, depression, anxiety, family dysfunction, and parent mental health. Differences between the remission and the IBD active group and the association of any significant variable with the disease activity state were examined.
Parents of children being in active state of the disease reported more life events (P = 0.005) and stressful life events (P = 0.048) during the past year and more mental health symptoms (P < 0.001), while the children themselves reported higher levels of anxiety symptoms (P = 0.017) compared to the remission group. In the logistic regression multivariate analysis, the only predictor which had a significant positive effect on the probability of the patients being in active state was parent mental health symptoms (OR = 4.8; 95%CI: 1.2-25.8).
Life events, child anxiety and parent mental health symptoms may be important correlates of pediatric IBD activity and targets of thorough assessment and treatment.
Core tip: The present study examined the associations of several psychosocial factors and outcomes with pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity. Second, it shed some light on the relationship of the disease activity (i.e., IBD remission or active state) with preceding life events. Addressing simultaneously psychosocial needs of both children and parents in the course of pediatric IBD seem to be of importance in any effective preventive and therapeutic intervention. Moreover, the role of stressful events in the course of pediatric IBD although being mediated or moderated by individual factors seem to be a possible target for future research and psychosocial treatment modalities.