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. 2021 Dec;19(12):2541-2550.e1.
doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2020.08.043. Epub 2020 Aug 21.

The Role of Resilience in Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Other Chronic Gastrointestinal Conditions, and the General Population

Colleen H Parker  1 , Bruce D Naliboff  2 , Wendy Shih  2 , Angela P Presson  3 , Lisa Kilpatrick  2 , Arpana Gupta  2 , Cathy Liu  2 , Laurie A Keefer  4 , Jenny S Sauk  5 , Robert Hirten  4 , Bruce E Sands  4 , Lin Chang  6
Affiliations

The Role of Resilience in Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Other Chronic Gastrointestinal Conditions, and the General Population

Colleen H Parker et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Background & aims: Resilience is the ability to adapt positively to stress and adversity. It is a potential therapeutic target as it is reduced in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) compared to healthy controls and associated with worse symptom severity and poorer quality of life. The aim of this study was to examine if these findings are generalizable by comparing resilience between IBS versus the general population and other chronic gastrointestinal (GI) conditions.

Methods: Participants in the general population completed an online survey containing questionnaires measuring demographics, diagnosis of IBS and other GI conditions, symptom severity, psychological symptoms, resilience, and early adverse life events (EALs). IBS was defined as having a physician diagnosis of IBS and/or meeting Rome criteria without co-morbid GI disease. All others were included in the general population group. The chronic GI conditions group included those with inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease and/or microscopic colitis.

Results: Resilience was lower in IBS (n = 820) than the general population (n = 1026; p < 0.001) and associated with worse IBS symptom severity (p < 0.05). Global mental health affected resilience differently in IBS compared to the general population (all p's < 0.05). EALs were associated with decreased ability to bounce back from adversity in both IBS and the general population (p < 0.001). Resilience scores were similar in IBS and other chronic GI conditions that present with similar symptoms.

Conclusions: Resilience is lower compared to the general U.S. population but does not appear to be specific to IBS as it is comparable to other chronic GI conditions. Low resilience negatively affects symptom severity and mental health and thus, may serve as a novel therapeutic target.

Keywords: Celiac Disease; Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Resilience.

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Conflict of interest statement

Potential Competing Interests

CHP- None; BDN- None; WS- None; APP- None; LK-None; AG-None; CL-None; LAK-None; JSS- None; RH-None; BES-None; LC- None

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
Resilience in IBS (n=820) is lower vs. general population (n=1026) subjects as measured by A) BRS and B) CD-RISC.
Figure 2:
Figure 2:
Effect of global mental health on resilience as measured by A) BRS and B) CD-RISC. Among those with low global mental health scores, subjects in the general population had higher resilience compared to IBS subjects.
Figure 3:
Figure 3:
Resilience is similar in IBS (n=95) vs. other chronic GI conditions (n=95) as measured by A) BRS and B) CD-RISC.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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