Alexithymia in Functional Defecation Disorder: The Incidence and the Effect on Treatment

IF 2.3 3区医学 Q3 GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY

Journal of Digestive Diseases Pub Date : 2025-06-20 DOI:10.1111/1751-2980.13356

Sai Nan Shi, Bin Bin Zhu, Mei Feng Wang, Lin Lin, Liu Qin Jiang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

We aimed to investigate the prevalence of alexithymia in patients with functional defecation disorder (FDD) and its impact on treatment outcomes.

Methods

FDD patients who underwent high-resolution anorectal manometry and balloon expulsion test were enrolled. Symptoms, anorectal function, and treatment efficacy were assessed at baseline and after 4-week medication.

Results

Alexithymia was present in 29.5% of all 129 FDD patients. Compared to the non-alexithymia group, the alexithymia group had higher baseline scores for the Patient Assessment of Constipation-Symptoms (PAC-SYM) (19.0 vs. 15.0, p = 0.03), Patient Assessment of Constipation-Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) (67.0 vs. 26.0, p < 0.001), Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) (44.5 vs. 30.0, p < 0.001), and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) (48.0 vs. 33.0, p < 0.001). Moreover, the improvements in post-treatment complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) (0.0 vs. 1.5, p = 0.041), PAC-SYM (0.0 vs. −11.5, p < 0.001), PAC-QOL (0.0 vs. −16.0, p < 0.001), SAS (0.0 vs. −1.0, p < 0.001), and SDS (0.0 vs. −3.0, p < 0.001) scores were less significant in the alexithymia group than in the non-alexithymia group. A high Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 score was an independent risk factor for drug therapy failure in FDD patients (odds ratio 0.949, 95% confidence interval 0.919–0.980, p = 0.001).

Conclusion

Alexithymia is prevalent in FDD patients and significantly affects symptom severity, quality of life, mental state, and treatment outcomes.

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功能性排便障碍患者述情障碍的发生率及治疗效果。

目的：探讨功能性排便障碍（FDD）患者述情障碍的患病率及其对治疗结果的影响。方法：采用高分辨率肛门直肠测压和球囊排出试验对FDD患者进行研究。在基线和用药4周后评估症状、肛肠功能和治疗效果。结果：129例FDD患者中有29.5%存在述情障碍。与非述情障碍组相比，述情障碍组在患者便秘症状评估（PAC-SYM）（19.0比15.0,p = 0.03）和患者便秘生活质量评估（PAC-QOL）（67.0比26.0,p = 0.03）的基线得分更高。结论：述情障碍在FDD患者中普遍存在，并显著影响症状严重程度、生活质量、精神状态和治疗结果。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Digestive Diseases 医学-胃肠肝病学

CiteScore

5.40

自引率

2.90%

发文量

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： The Journal of Digestive Diseases is the official English-language journal of the Chinese Society of Gastroenterology. The journal is published twelve times per year and includes peer-reviewed original papers, review articles and commentaries concerned with research relating to the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, biliary tract and pancreas.