Gastrointestinal Symptom-Specific Anxiety Predicts Positive SCOFF Screens in Adults With Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder and May Overestimate Eating Disorder Risk.
Reem Altuwayjiri, Lee David Martin, Natalia Zarate-Lopez, Chiara Vari, Rabia Topan, Qasim Aziz, Asma Fikree
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background/aims: The Sick, Control, One, Fat, Food (SCOFF) is a questionnaire that screens for risk of eating disorders. Some symptoms and psychological factors associated with disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) may resemble the features of eating disorders, potentially overestimating the risk of eating disorders in populations with high DGBI prevalence such as those with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome/hypermobility spectrum disorder (hEDS/HSD). This study aimed to identify factors associated with screening positive on SCOFF among adult with hEDS/HSD to explore the questionnaire's suitability for this population.
Methods: A secondary analysis of data from 670 adults with hEDS/HSD recruited from Ehlers-Danlos Support UK and tertiary Neurogastroenterology. χ2 tests and logistic regression were used to examine factors associated with positive SCOFF screening result and positive responses to individual SCOFF questions.
Results: DGBI presence did not predict a positive SCOFF screen. However, high gastrointestinal symptom-specific anxiety (GSA) (AOR: 3.19, p < 0.001), fear of aversive consequences from eating (AOR: 1.97, p = 0.013), and anxiety (AOR = 2.53, p < 0.001) were significant predictors. Notably, high GSA strongly predicted a positive response to questions two (Do you worry you have lost Control over how much you eat?) and five (Would you say that Food dominates your life?) (Q2 AOR = 2.58, p = 0.006, Q5 AOR = 5.98, p < 0.001).
Conclusions: In hEDS/HSD, high GSA strongly predicted a positive SCOFF screening outcome, suggesting that SCOFF's questions might detect behaviors associated with worries around GI symptoms rather than an eating disorder. Positive screens in this population should be interpreted with caution and accompanied by GSA-focused assessments to enhance biopsychosocial management.
期刊介绍：
Neurogastroenterology & Motility (NMO) is the official Journal of the European Society of Neurogastroenterology & Motility (ESNM) and the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (ANMS). It is edited by James Galligan, Albert Bredenoord, and Stephen Vanner. The editorial and peer review process is independent of the societies affiliated to the journal and publisher: Neither the ANMS, the ESNM or the Publisher have editorial decision-making power. Whenever these are relevant to the content being considered or published, the editors, journal management committee and editorial board declare their interests and affiliations.
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