Comparison of depression and anxiety in inflammatory bowel patients treated with anti-TNF or immune modulators

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the effects of drug groups used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease on depression and anxiety. This study was a single-center prospective study involving 94 patients with inflammatory bowel disease, 51 of whom had ulcerative colitis (UC) and 43 had Crohn's disease (CD). Harvey-Bradshaw activity scores for CD and Mayo Clinic activation scores for UC were calculated. Depression and anxiety data were collected with the Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory. The mean age for UC and CD were 40.25 ± 14 and 38.9 ± 13.8 years, respectively. There was a positive correlation between disease activation and depression and anxiety levels in both IBD subgroups (p<0.05). All patients included in the study were compared in terms of depression and anxiety levels before and after treatment, and a statistically significant improvement was found with the remission of both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease (p<0.001). There was a significant difference in depression and anxiety levels before and after treatment according to treatment options (p<0.001). There is a positive relationship between the disease activation score and the level of depression and anxiety in IBD. Immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory drugs used in the treatment of IBD may also improve the parameters of depression and anxiety in this disease.