Relationship Between Abuse History and Gastrointestinal and Extraintestinal Symptom Severity in Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the associations between the different abuse types, and gastrointestinal (GI) and extraintestinal symptom severity in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and possible mediators of these relationships.

Methods: We assessed sexual and physical abuse in childhood and adulthood with the Drossman and Leserman abuse questionnaire, whereas GI and extraintestinal symptoms were assessed with the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale and the Symptom Check List-90 Revised. General linear models with bootstrapping tested the mediating role of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and GI-specific anxiety and rectal pain threshold.

Coping Skills Are Associated With Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity and Somatization in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Background & Aims: Coping resources and processes are altered in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We investigated the relationship between coping resources and gastrointestinal (GI) and extraintestinal symptom severity in patients with IBS and potential mediators of this relationship.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 216 patients with IBS attending a secondary/tertiary care specialized outpatient center in Sweden from 2003 through 2007.