Everyday stress and ulcerative colitis

Author(s): Traue, H. C.

Journal/Book: Psychother Psychosom Med Psyc. 1997; 47: P O Box 30 11 20, D-70451 Stuttgart, Germany. Georg Thieme Verlag. 117-122.

Abstract: In a 84-days long prospective study involving 10 colitis out-patients, the relationship between everyday stress and colitis symptomatology was investigated. The colitis diagnosis were clinically, endoscopically, and by x-ray verified by independent physicians. Only patients with active colitis symptoms participated in that study. Colitis symptoms as well as everyday stress were assessed by a diary given every day to the patients. The diary comprised a specific colitis symptom list and a daily hassles scale. In order to control the disease effects on coping behavior coping styles were measured at the beginning and every four weeks. The data were evaluated using a sophisticated time series analysis method following the ARIMA-model, controlling for autocorrelation and serial dependencies. In 8 out of 10 patients significant correlations between daily hassles and disease activity (stools and abdominal pain) were found. With one exception all correlation coefficients were observed on a time-lag 0 basis, indicating a covariation between stress and symptoms within the same day. The comparison of low- and high-stress days revealed significantly more symptoms on high stress days. Neither disease activity nor coping styles changed over the time of observation.

Note: Article Kosarz P, Psychosomat Klin Bad Durkheim, Kurbrunnenstr 12, D-67098 Bad Durkheim, GERMANY

Keyword(s): INFLAMMATORY BOWEL-DISEASE; BLOOD-GLUCOSE; INVENTORY

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