Behaviorally treated irritable bowel syndrome patients: a four-year follow-up

• Published in: Behaviour research and therapy Vol. 28; no. 4; p. 331
• Main Authors: Schwarz, S P, Taylor, A E, Scharff, L, Blanchard, E B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 1990
• Subjects: Adult; Behavior Therapy - methods; Colonic Diseases, Functional - psychology; Colonic Diseases, Functional - therapy; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Sick Role
• ISSN: 0005-7967
• DOI: 10.1016/0005-7967(90)90085-W

Nineteen of 27 patients suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) who had completed a multicomponent treatment involving progressive muscle relaxation, thermal biofeedback, cognitive therapy and IBS education were located and evaluated 4 yr posttreatment. Seventeen of 19 (89.5, or 63% of the total original sample) rated themselves as more than 50% improved. Six of the 12 patients (50%) who submitted symptom monitoring diaries met our criteria for clinical improvement, i.e. achieving at least a 50% reduction in primary IBS symptom scores. The means on all measures at long-term follow-up were lower than those obtained prior to treatment. When follow-up symptom means were compared with pretreatment means, significant (P less than 0.05) reductions were obtained on abdominal pain/tenderness, diarrhea, nausea, and flatulence.