Abstract | BACKGROUND & AIMS: Psychotherapy and antidepressants are effective in patients with severe irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but the cost-effectiveness of either treatment in routine practice has not been established. METHODS: Patients with severe IBS were randomly allocated to receive 8 sessions of individual psychotherapy, 20 mg daily of the specific serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant, paroxetine, or routine care by a gastroenterologist and general practitioner. Primary outcome measures of abdominal pain, health-related quality of life, and health care costs were determined after 3 months of treatment and 1 year later. RESULTS: A total of 257 subjects (81% response rate) from 7 hospitals were recruited; 59 of 85 patients (69%) randomized to psychotherapy and 43 of 86 (50%) of the paroxetine group completed the full course of treatment. Both psychotherapy and paroxetine were superior to treatment as usual in improving the physical aspects of health-related quality of life (SF-36 physical component score improvement, 5.2 [SEM, 1.26], 5.8 [SEM, 1.0], and -0.3 [SEM, 1.17]; P < 0.001), but there was no difference in the psychological component. During the follow-up year, psychotherapy but not paroxetine was associated with a significant reduction in health care costs compared with treatment as usual (psychotherapy, $976 [SD, $984]; paroxetine, $1252 [SD, $1616]; and treatment as usual, $1663 [SD, $3177]). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with severe IBS, both psychotherapy and paroxetine improve health-related quality of life at no additional cost.
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Authors | Francis Creed, Lakshmi Fernandes, Elspeth Guthrie, Stephen Palmer, Joy Ratcliffe, Nicholas Read, Christine Rigby, David Thompson, Barbara Tomenson, North of England IBS Research Group |
Journal | Gastroenterology
(Gastroenterology)
Vol. 124
Issue 2
Pg. 303-17
(Feb 2003)
ISSN: 0016-5085 [Print] United States |
PMID | 12557136
(Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation
- Paroxetine
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Topics |
- Absenteeism
- Adult
- Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation
(therapeutic use)
- Colonic Diseases, Functional
(physiopathology, therapy)
- Cost-Benefit Analysis
- Female
- Forecasting
- Health Care Costs
- Health Status
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Multivariate Analysis
- Pain
(physiopathology)
- Paroxetine
(economics, therapeutic use)
- Patient Compliance
- Psychotherapy
(economics)
- Quality of Life
- Severity of Illness Index
- Treatment Outcome
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