Nocebo effect in irritable bowel syndrome patients: Overview of methodology

Subject Areas : Thoughts and Behavior in Clinical Psychology

Hamid Nasiri-Dehsorkhi ¹ , Shahram Vaziri ² , Ahmad Esmaillzadeh ³ , Peyman Adibi ⁴

1 - Department of Clinical Psychology, Roudehen Branch, Islamic Azad University, Roudehen, Iran. and Isfahan Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2 - Department of Clinical Psychology, Roudehen Branch, Islamic Azad University, Roudehen, Iran
3 - Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4 - Isfahan Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Received: 2023-06-18 Accepted : 2023-08-11 Published : 2025-07-11

Keywords: Nocebo effect, irritable bowel syndrome, functional gastrointestinal disorders, multi-food adverse reaction.,

Abstract :

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common worldwide and potentially disabling, cause remarkable social and economic burden. The aims of study were to: 1) Identification of patients with IBS in data set of SEPAHAN (The study on the epidemiology of psychological, alimentary health and nutrition). 2) Preparation of criteria to determine the nocebo effect in IBS patient group. 3) Identification of IBS patients with nocebo effect. 4) investigate the relationship of IBS with personality traits, psychological and social factors. It was a cross-sectional-correlation study based on data set of SEPAHAN among staff of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and Health Sciences (Isfahan, Iran). In the first step, The IBS patients selected based on the Rome-III diagnostic criteria from SEPHAN population. In second step, based on researcher made definition of nocebo effect (multi-food intolerance) and Dish based Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (DS-FFQ), the people who had nocebo effect segregated in IBS-nocebo group. Finally, the correlation of big five personality traits (NEO-FFI), Hospitalized Anxiety-Depression Scale (HADS), psychological distress by General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), perceived Stressful Life Events (SLE) and demographic characteristics investigated with nocebo effect in IBS group. Findings of the study showed that, from 4763 subjects of SEPAHAN study, 748 people had IBS diagnosis and from this group 168 patients who had nocebo phenomenon compared with 584 IBS patients without nocebo effect. These two groups compered based on personality, psychological factors, stressful events and demographic characteristics. Present study provides the opportunity to define and investigate the nocebo effect between IBS patients and show the relationship of psychological and social aspects in in this regard.