Researchers report that patients with irritable bowel syndrome who received a digitally delivered gut-directed hypnotherapy program experienced significant improvements in gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life compared to an active control group. A recent study by Anderson E. and colleagues was published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. This new method is as effective as traditional in-person behavioral therapy for managing IBS, and much more accessible.
Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder that significantly impairs the quality of life of millions of people worldwide. Gut-targeted hypnotherapy has already been evaluated for its effectiveness as a treatment for IBS, but its availability is limited by the need for a face-to-face consultation with a specialized therapist. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a digitally delivered GDH program against an active control, thereby making the treatment more accessible to patients suffering from IBS.
In this randomized controlled trial, 240 adults with IBS were randomly assigned to one of two treatment arms, one of which received a 42-session psychoeducational digital gut-directed hypnotherapy program based on Nerva, and the other group received an active control program without GDH.Gastrointestinal symptoms measured with the IBS Symptom Severity Scale, quality of life with the IBS Quality of Life, and psychological symptoms with the DASS-21 were assessed at baseline and at regular intervals during and 6 months after the intervention.
Key findings from the survey include:
Participant demographics:
• GDH program: 121 participants, median age 38 years (range 20–65 years), 90% female, baseline IBS-SSS 321 (IQR 273–367).
• Active controls: 119 participants, median age 36 years (range 21-65 years), 91% female, baseline IBS-SSS 303 (255-360).
Primary endpoint:
• 81% of participants in the GDH program achieved a 50+ point reduction in IBS-SSS compared with 63% of active controls (p=0.002).
Gastrointestinal symptoms:
• Median IBS-SSS at program completion: GDH 208 (IQR 154-265) vs. control 244 (190-308) (p=0.004).
• 71% of GDH participants reported a 30% reduction in pain compared to 35% in the control group (p<0.001).
Quality of life:
• Improvement in IBS-QOL: Increased by 14 points (IQR 6-25) in the GDH program vs. 7 points (IQR 1-15) in the control (p<0.001).
Psychological symptoms:
• Both groups experienced similar improvements in psychological state.
This randomized clinical trial demonstrated that the digitally delivered GDH program was highly effective in improving gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life in IBS patients compared to an active control. According to the GDH program, these positive results illustrate that the GDH program can be a comparable and accessible alternative to in-person behavioral therapy.
“A digitally delivered GDH program provides a more accessible treatment for IBS patients and a similarly effective treatment that improves gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life compared to an active control. Such novel approaches have the potential to revolutionize IBS management, unlocking effective treatments that are even more accessible to patients.”
reference:
Anderson, EJ, Peters, SL, Gibson, PR, & Halmos, EP (2024). A digitally delivered gut-directed hypnotherapy program versus an active control for irritable bowel syndrome. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 10.14309/ajg.00000000000002921. https://doi.org/10.14309/ajg.000000000000002921
