Psychological support counselling improves gluten‐free diet compliance in coeliac patients with affective disorders

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Summary: Background : Anxiety and depression are common features of coeliac disease. Depression is cause of non‐compliance to treatment in chronic illness.Aim : To evaluate the useful of psychological support counselling to improve affective disorders and gluten‐free diet adherence in coeliac disease with anxiety and depression.Methods : A total of 66 coeliac disease patients with state anxiety and current depression were enrolled. Patients were randomized in two groups: in group A psychological support was started at the beginning of gluten‐free diet, while group B was free of psychological support. Both groups were followed every 2 weeks for 6 months. State and Trait Anxiety Inventory test Y‐1 and the modified Zung self‐rating depression scale were administered before (T0) and after 6 months of gluten‐free diet (T1).Results : At T1 no difference was found between groups in the percentage of state anxiety, while a significant lower percentage of depressed subjects was found in group A with respect to group B (15.1% vs. 78.8%; P = 0.001). In the follow‐up period, a significant lower compliance to gluten‐free diet was found in group B with respect to group A (39.4% vs. 9.1%; P = 0.02).Conclusions : In coeliac disease patients with affective disorders psychological support seems to be able to reduce depression and to increase gluten‐free diet compliance.