Prevalence of anxious and depressive symptoms and coping stretegies ad risk factors in Chron's disease outpatientes in clinical remission

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depressive and anxious comorbidity in Crohn’s disease (CD) patients in clinical remission; secondary aim is to define coping strategies in those with clinical symptoms; and to define predictive risk factors for developing symptomatology. DESIGN: 123 outpatients were screened with Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Brief-COPE. The patients positive for depressive symptoms were investigated by questionnaire D of Cognitive Behavioural Assessment 2.0 and Beck Depression Inventory, whereas those with anxious symptoms by Perceived Stress Scale and State-Trait Anxiety Scale. RESULTS: 45 patients (36%) showed anxious and/or depressive symptoms. The group positive for anxiety showed significant lower values of “Positive reframing”, “Self distraction”, “Denial” in coping strategies, the one positive for depression showed significant lower values for “Denial”. Female sex, higher age of onset, late age of onset, no family history of IBD, colic or perianal localization of Crohn’s disease are risk factors for high levels of depression or anxiety. CONCLUSION: Crohn’s disease patients in clinical remission have great risk to develop depressive-anxious comorbidity; those with psychiatric symptoms use dysfunctional coping strategies that could influence the course of the disease. Some specific CD patients need to be strictly controlled because at risk to develop psychiatric symptoms.