Self-administered cognitive behavior therapy for moderate to severe irritable bowel syndrome: clinical efficacy, tolerability, feasibility

Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2008 Aug;6(8):899-906. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2008.03.004. Epub 2008 Jun 4.

Abstract

Background & aims: Given the limitations of conventional therapies and restrictions imposed on newer pharmacologic agents, there is an urgent need to develop efficacious and efficient treatments that teach patients behavioral self-management skills for relieving irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms and associated problems.

Methods: Seventy-five Rome II diagnosed IBS patients (86% female) without comorbid gastrointestinal disease were recruited from local physicians and the community and randomized to either 2 versions of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) (10-session, therapist-administered CBT vs 4-session, patient-administered CBT) or a wait list control (WLC) that controlled for threats to internal validity. Final assessment occurred 2 weeks after the 10-week treatment phase ended. Outcome measures included adequate relief from pain and bowel symptoms, global improvement of IBS symptoms (CGI-Improvement Scale), IBS symptom severity scale (IBS SSS), quality of life (IBSQOL), psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory), and patient satisfaction (Client Satisfaction Scale).

Results: At week 12, both CBT versions were significantly (P < .05) superior to WLC in the percentage of participants reporting adequate relief (eg, minimal contact CBT, 72%; standard CBT, 60.9%; WLC, 7.4%) and improvement of symptoms. CBT-treated patients reported significantly improved quality of life and IBS symptom severity but not psychological distress relative to WLC patients (P < .0001).

Conclusions: Data from this pilot study lend preliminary empirical support to a brief patient-administered CBT regimen capable of providing short-term relief from IBS symptoms largely unresponsive to conventional therapies.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome / psychology*
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome / therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Satisfaction / statistics & numerical data
  • Pilot Projects
  • Quality of Life
  • Random Allocation
  • Self Administration
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Treatment Outcome