Psychological morbidity in women with idiopathic constipation

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine psychological morbidity in women with idiopathic constipation. METHODS: Three age-matched groups of 47 women with idiopathic constipation (excess straining or decreased bowel frequency), 28 healthy women, and 26 w omen with Crohn's disease completed a newly devised Perception of Female Se lf questionnaire, the Intimacy subscale of the Inventory of Interpersonal P roblems, the Feminine Traits from the Bem Sex Role Inventory, and the Gener al Health Questionnaire. Thirteen patients had a low bowel frequency (<2/wk ), 30 had a normal bowel frequency, and four had increased bowel frequency (>3/day). Of 29 patients with a measured whole gut transit time, 19 had slo w and 10 had normal transit. RESULTS: Patients with constipation had significantly increased psychologic al and social morbidity (anxiety, depression, and social dysfunction) (p = 0.022), increased somatization (p = 0.019), and less satisfaction in their sexual life (p = 0.001) than healthy women. Constipated women with slow tra nsit or decreased bowel frequency did not differ significantly from those w ith normal transit and bowel frequency. Women with Crohn's disease did not differ significantly on any test from healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: Women with idiopathic constipation have increased psychologica l morbidity, altered perception about female self, and impaired intimate re lationships. These factors are not present in women with "organic" GI illne ss also associated with abdominal pain. (Am J Gastroenterol 2000; 95:2852-2 857. (C) 2000 by Am. Coll. of Gastroenterology).