Objective: To investigate the procedure and tactics used in the cognitive therapy for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive therapy in the treatment of refractory IBS.
Methods: A self-control study on the cognitive therapy for 22 patients with refractory IBS symptoms (according to Rome II criteria) was performed. The procedure of cognitive therapy included five steps, namely health education, patients' questioning, relaxing training, dissensitization training, and patients' homework for enforcing the effect of former four steps. The effects of cognitive therapy for IBS were evaluated by improvement of symptom-related-anxiety, index of symptom, quality of life specific for IBS and coping.
Results: All 22 cases completed cognitive therapy and first follow-up unit (FFU), at the end of FFU, clinical symptoms in all patients improved (P < 0.05), of them, 81.8% improved significantly (P < 0.001); at 12-months-follow-up, complete remission of clinical symptoms occurred in 72.7% (8/11) patients. Comparison of the scores of symptom-related-anxiety, index of symptom, quality of life specific IBS and coping at the end of 1st follow-up unit with that at basal level, the scores of symptom-anxiety, indexes of severity and frequency of symptoms decreased significantly (P < 0.001, respectively); the scores of depression and anxiety in SCL-90 also decreased significantly (P < 0.001). The scores of active coping rose significantly (P = 0.000). IBS-QOL improved significantly (P < 0.05), of them, dysphoria, body image, food avoidence improved very significantly (P < 0.001, respectively).
Conclusions: Cognitive therapy for patients with refractory IBS is rational and effective. During cognitive therapy, we should follow the therapeutic procedure and the principle of individuation.