Life satisfaction in IBS tied to psychological burden instead of GI symptoms

In patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), higher general life satisfaction is associated with higher physical and mental quality of life independently, but not with gastrointestinal (GI) symptom severity, reveals a study.

A team of investigators recruited 195 IBS patients (mean age 51.4 years, 73.8 percent female) from primary and secondary/tertiary care who then completed questionnaires about GI symptoms, quality of life, psychological factors, and life satisfaction (Satisfaction With Life Scale, 5 items, range 5–35).

Latent classes were determined using a finite mixture model analysis, while variables associated with life satisfaction were identified through multivariable linear regression.

Of the IBS patients, 71.3 percent expressed satisfaction about their life (Satisfaction With Life Scale-score ≥21). Three latent subgroups with significantly higher life satisfaction were found in the subgroup with higher mental quality of life, fewer anxiety and depressive symptoms, lower GI-specific anxiety, and lower GI symptoms severity as compared with the other two groups.

In multivariable linear regression, higher physical quality of life (B0.168; p<0.001) and higher mental quality of life (B0.199; p<0.001) independently correlated with higher life satisfaction. GI symptom severity, however, showed no significant association with life satisfaction.

“These findings reinforce the clinical need in IBS treatment to focus on the full extent of the disorder and not merely on GI symptom improvement,” the investigators said.

“IBS has a major impact on emotional, social, and professional life,” they noted.