Stressful situations do not trigger symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), results of a Spanish study show.

Writing in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, Dr Julián Panés and colleagues, from the Institut Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer in Barcelona, explain: “Since the course of [IBD] is unpredictable, patients and physicians often try to find a logical cause for disease exacerbations, and it is easy to attribute all disease's processes to ‘stress’."

However, they add: “Previous studies that have addressed the role of major life events in exacerbations of IBD have shown contradictory results.”

To investigate further, the researchers studied 163 patients with inactive Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis who had experienced at least one relapse in the previous 2 years.

The participants were monitored month-by-month for a maximum of 11 months or until a relapse occurred.

The team measured the prevalence and emotional impact of certain stressful events in the lives of the participants and assessed whether such events had any bearing on disease activity.

Over the course of the study, 51 patients relapsed, 104 remained in remission, and eight dropped out.

Analysis revealed that the number of life events experienced by each participant was not associated with the number of relapses they suffered. The emotional impact of stressful events was also not associated with the risk of relapse.

The researchers conclude: “Our study does not support the hypothesis that stressful life events trigger exacerbations in IBD patients who have suffered recent relapses.

“This information, if properly transmitted to patients, may help to decrease, or even eliminate the anxiety and fear that stressful situations might lead to IBD relapse, and help them to better cope with this condition.”

Free abstract