The DOI matches its Crossref record; 73 of the 73 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Effect of Antidepressants and Psychological Therapies, Including Hypnotherapy, in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder. Evidence relating to the treatment of this condition with antidepressants and psychological therapies continues to accumulate. METHODS: We performed an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register were searched (up to December 2013). Trials recruiting adults with IBS, which compared antidepressants with placebo, or psychological therapies with control therapy or "usual management," were eligible. Dichotomous symptom data were pooled to obtain a relative risk (RR) of remaining symptomatic after therapy, with a 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: The search strategy identified 3,788 citations. Forty-eight RCTs were eligible for inclusion: thirty-one compared psychological therapies with control therapy or "usual management," sixteen compared antidepressants with placebo, and one compared both psychological therapy and antidepressants with placebo. Ten of the trials of psychological therapies, and four of the RCTs of antidepressants, had been published since our previous meta-analysis. The RR of IBS symptom not improving with antidepressants vs. placebo was 0.67 (95% CI=0.58-0.77), with similar treatment effects for both tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The RR of symptoms not improving with psychological therapies was 0.68 (95% CI=0.61-0.76). Cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, multicomponent psychological therapy, and dynamic psychotherapy were all beneficial. CONCLUSIONS: Antidepressants and some psychological therapies are effective treatments for IBS. Despite the considerable number of studies published in the intervening 5 years since we last examined this issue, the overall summary estimates of treatment effect have remained remarkably stable.
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In the citing paper
“which conflicts with the findings of previous meta-analyses.11,13 This results from the inclusion of a single study, which had the most infrequent sessions and the lowest volume of intervention 18 of the included studies.”
From Systematic review, meta-analysis with subgroup analysis of hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome, effect of intervention characteristics (2021) · cites this paper as [11]
In the citing paper
“Our results were similar to a recently published metaanalysis that used binary outcome data to compare the efficacy of psychotherapy vs antidepressant medications for reducing GI symptoms in IBS.”
From Short-term and long-term efficacy of psychological therapies for irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2016) · cites this paper as [5]
In the citing paper
“Meta-analyses suggest that psychological therapies are as effective as antidepressants in reducing GI symptoms in IBS immediately after treatment, with a number needed to treat between 2 and 4. [5][6][7]”
From Short-term and long-term efficacy of psychological therapies for irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2016) · cites this paper as [5]
In the citing paper
“found antidepressants to have efficacy over placebo in the improvement of somatic bowel symptoms (relative risk 0.67; 95% CI 0.58,0.77) with similar effects observed for both selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) 3”
From Antidepressants in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review (2017) · cites this paper as [3]
In the citing paper
“Antidepressants have also been shown to be effective in treating gastro-intestinal (GI) symptoms associated with some other disorders.”
From Antidepressants in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review (2017) · cites this paper as [3]
Citations
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Sterne, J. A. C., Sutton, A. J., Ioannidis, J. P. A., Terrin, N., Jones, D. R., Lau, J., Carpenter, J., Rucker, G., Harbord, R. M., Schmid, C. H., et al. (2011) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.d4002 · Cited by 7,709
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Drossman, D. A., Li, Z., Andruzzi, E., Temple, R. D., Talley, N. J., Grant Thompson, W., Whitehead, W. E., Janssens, J., Funch-Jensen, P., Corazziari, E., et al. (1993) · Digestive Diseases and Sciences · doi:10.1007/bf01303162 · Cited by 2,198
Global Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Meta-analysis
Lovell, R. M., & Ford, A. C. (2012) · Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology · doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2012.02.029 · Cited by 2,155
Self-citationWhitehead, W. E., Palsson, O., & Jones, K. R. (2002) · Gastroenterology · doi:10.1053/gast.2002.32392 · Cited by 1,116
A systematic review of antidepressants in neuropathic pain
McQuay, H. J., Tramèr, M. R., Nye, B., Carroll, D., Wiffen, P. J., & Moore, A. (1996) · Pain · doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(96)03140-5 · Cited by 926
Antidepressants for neuropathic pain
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Research works printed but not linked: 3
- Bergmann, 1991, Die Therapie Des Colon Irritabile Mit Trimipramin (Herphonal) - Eine Kontrollierte Studie., Z Klin Med, 46, 1621
- Boerner, 1988, Wirksamkeit Und Vertraglichkeit Eines Antidepressivuns Beim Colon Irritabile., Therapiewoche, 38, 201
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Cited by
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Items 401–405 of 405
Topics, Patient Satisfaction Focused Medical Care
Yamamoto, S., & Kasugai, K. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-981-95-6974-8_87
Symptomatic Uncomplicated Diverticular Disease or Irritable Bowel Syndrome: How Can You Tell?
Pathipati, M. P., & Staller, K. D. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-21720-2_16
Therapeutic approaches to abdominal pain: From pharmacology to complementary therapies
Pokora, B., Pokora, K., & Fichna, J. (2026) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-41638-5.00005-3
Puoti, M. G., Oorthuys, A. O. J., Vermeijden, N. K., Benninga, M. A., & Borrelli, O. (2026) · Drugs · doi:10.1007/s40265-026-02376-0
“Both tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have demonstrated potential benefits in adults with DGBI [20].”
Metadata
- Authors
- Ford, A. C., Quigley, E. M. M., Lacy, B. E., Lembo, A. J., Saito, Y. A., Schiller, L. R., Soffer, E. E., Spiegel, B. M. R., & Moayyedi, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Leeds (GB)
- Houston Methodist (US)
- Dartmouth–Hitchcock Medical Center (US)
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (US)
- Mayo Clinic (US)
- Baylor University Medical Center (US)
- University of Southern California (US)
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (US)
- McMaster University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Ford, Alexander C
- ORCID
- Venue
- American Journal of Gastroenterology
- Published
- 2014-09
- Volume
- 109
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1350-1365
- ISSN
- 0002-9270 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2171220209
- Cited by
- 405
- References
- 72
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 51 · 2018: 60 · 2017: 61 · 2016: 46 · 2015: 41 · 2014: 6
- FWCI
- 8.39
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The American Journal of Gastroenterology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- American College of Gastroenterology
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Health and Development
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Keywords
- irritable bowel syndrome, antidepressants, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, psychodynamic psychotherapy, symptom remission, functional gastrointestinal disorders
- MeSH terms
- Antidepressive Agents, Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic, Humans, Hypnosis, Psychotherapy, Relaxation Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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