Psychological and Clinical Factors Mediate Post-COVID-19 Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Hod K., Marasco G., Colecchia L., Cremon C., Barbaro M. R., Cacciari G., ...Daha Fazla

Neurogastroenterology and Motility, 2025 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1111/nmo.70079
  • Dergi Adı: Neurogastroenterology and Motility
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, MEDLINE
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: COVID-19, depression, dyspnea, gastrointestinal symptoms, irritable bowel syndrome, mediation analysis
  • Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background: Exposure to COVID-19 has been shown previously to be associated with a higher risk for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study aimed to better explain this relationship using mediation analysis. Methods: This post hoc analysis of a multicenter cohort study includes 623 patients with and without COVID-19 infection. All participants completed the ROME IV criteria, gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS), and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) over 1 year. Mediation analysis utilized the PROCESS macro and Baron and Kenny's method for parametric and nonparametric mediating variables, respectively. Key Results: The impact of COVID-19 on the development of post-COVID-19 IBS is completely mediated by dyspnea at baseline (adjusted OR = 3.561, p = 0.012), severity of acid regurgitation at 1 month [indirect effect, log-odds metric = 0.090, 95% CI (0.006–0.180)], hunger pains at 1 [indirect effect, log-odds metric = 0.094, 95% CI (0.024–0.178)], and 6 months [indirect effect, log-odds metric = 0.074, 95% CI (0.003–0.150)], depression at 6 [indirect effect, log-odds metric = 0.106, 95% CI (0.009–0.225)] and 12 months [indirect effect, log-odds metric = 0.146, 95% CI (0.016–0.311)] as well as borborygmus [indirect effect, log-odds metric = 0.095, 95% CI (0.009–0.203)], abdominal distention [indirect effect, log-odds metric = 0.162, 95% CI (0.047–0.303)], and increased flatus [indirect effect, log-odds metric = 0.110, 95% CI (0.005–0.234)] at 12 months. Conclusions and Inferences: Our findings provide evidence for psychological and clinical mediators between COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 IBS, which may be promising targets for interventions tailored for treating or preventing depression. The presence of specific GI symptoms at COVID-19 onset and their persistence should increase awareness of a potential new onset of IBS diagnosis.