No difference in symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome between healthy subjects and patients with recurrent depression in remission.

There is bidirectional comorbidity between anxiety/depression and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). To investigate the prevalence of IBS symptoms, and factors associated with gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with recurrent depressive disorder. Patients (n = 95) with recurrent type of major depression according to DSM-IV criteria and sex- and age-matched controls (n = 190) were sent questionnaires investigating symptoms of IBS [Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS)-IBS] and symptoms of anxiety and depression [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)]. Medical records were checked over a 10-year period for chronic somatic symptoms or diseases. Seventy-three patients with unipolar disorder (mean age 63.6 years SD 13.8; range 23-86 years) and 156 controls (mean age 59.2 years SD 11.6, range 21-85 years) responded. Patients with recurrent depression had higher GSRS-IBS scores and showed a strong correlation between symptoms of IBS and anxiety-depression (r(s) = 0.54; P < 0.001). IBS symptoms were also associated with multiple pain symptoms, higher health-seeking behaviour and selective-serotonin-reuptake inhibitor intake. However, patients with recurrent depression (n = 46) in remission (HADS-Depression score <8) did not have more symptoms of IBS than controls (GSRS-IBS median score 6.0 vs 6.5; P = 0.46). There is a strong association between symptoms of IBS and symptoms of anxiety and depression, whereas depressive patients in remission do not have more IBS symptoms than controls.