Comorbidity of inflammatory bowel disease and metabolic syndrome in military personnel: psychosomatic and clinical aspects

Abstract

Background. The study of the psychoemotional state of military personnel with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) against the background of metabolic syndrome (MS) is extremely relevant due to the synergy of chronic combat stress, systemic inflammation and metabolic disorders, which significantly worsen adaptation, increase the risk of IBD relapses and severe depressive and anxiety disorders. The purpose is to assess the levels of anxiety, depression and stress perception in military personnel with inflammatory bowel disease depending on the presence of MS. Materials and methods. Thirty-six military personnel with IBD were examined. To assess anxiety and depression, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used, the level of stress perception was determined by means of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Patients were divided into two groups: with IBD without MS (n = 31; 29 of them were examined using the HADS and 31 using the PSS-10), and with IBD with MS (n = 5). Results. Anxiety disorders were detected in 52.9 % of patients, depressive disorders in 38.2 %. The average level of anxiety exceeded the average level of depression by 1.2 times. In participants with MS, the average indicators of anxiety and depression were higher than in those without MS. Comorbid anxiety-depressive disorders were diagnosed in 32.3 % of the examinees, and among patients with MS, they occurred more often. A close positive correlation was found between the levels of anxiety and depression (r = 0.651; p < 0.0001), as well as between the level of depression and the indicator of stress perception (r = 0.651; p < 0.0001). According to the PSS-10, most patients in both groups had a moderate level of stress without statistically significant intergroup differences. Conclusions. Psychoemotional disorders are common among military personnel with IBD. The presence of MS is associated with a tendency to greater severity of anxiety and depressive manifestations, while the level of subjective stress perception does not significantly depend on the presence of MS.