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. 2023 Aug 8;9(10):FSO881.
doi: 10.2144/fsoa-2023-0068. eCollection 2023 Dec.

Alexithymia impairs quality of life in irritable bowel syndrome

Mona Boudabbous  1   2 , Ala Ben Issa  2 , Ines Feki  3   2 , Héla Gdoura  1   2 , Lassad Chtourou  1   2 , Manel Moalla  1   2 , Rim Sallemi  3   2 , Leila Mnif  1   2 , Ali Amouri  1   2 , Jaweher Masmoudi  3   2 , Nabil Tahri  1   2
Affiliations

Alexithymia impairs quality of life in irritable bowel syndrome

Mona Boudabbous et al. Future Sci OA. .

Abstract

Aim: Our objectives were to compare the frequency of alexithymia and the alteration of quality of life in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and to determine the factors associated with alexithymia and quality of life deterioration.

Method: This is a comparative study which collected 80 IBS patients and 80 controls.

Results: Quality of life was impaired in 75% of patients vs 37.5% (p < 0.0001). The prevalence of alexithymia was 50% in patients vs 1.2% (p < 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, an impaired quality of life was associated with alexithymia (p = 0.003). The factors associated with impaired quality of life were anxiety and alexithymia.

Conclusion: Alexithymia was present in half of patients with IBS and its was associated with impaired quality of life.

Keywords: SF-36; TAS 20; alexithymia; irritable bowel syndrome; quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests disclosure The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.

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