Long-term follow-up of internet-delivered exposure and mindfulness based treatment for irritable bowel syndrome.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of internet-delivered CBT based on exposure and mindfulness for IBS patients.
Results Summary
Treatment gains were maintained at follow-up (15-18 months) with large effect sizes, including improvements in IBS symptoms, quality of life, and anxiety related to gastrointestinal symptoms. Adequate symptom relief was reported by 59% of the original sample, with more pronounced improvements in those who completed full treatment.
Population
IBS patients (75 participants from an original sample of 85).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Mean follow-up of 16.4 months after treatment completion.
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for IBS, based on exposure and mindfulness exercises | decrease | IBS symptoms | participants from the original sample | within-group Cohen's d=0.78-1.11 | treatment gains were maintained | #1 |
internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for IBS, based on exposure and mindfulness exercises | increase | quality of life | participants from the original sample | within-group Cohen's d=0.78-1.11 | treatment gains were maintained | #2 |
internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for IBS, based on exposure and mindfulness exercises | decrease | anxiety related to gastrointestinal symptoms | participants from the original sample | within-group Cohen's d=0.78-1.11 | treatment gains were maintained | #3 |
internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for IBS, based on exposure and mindfulness exercises | decrease | symptoms | fifty participants (59% of the total original sample; 52% of the original treatment group participants and 65% of the original waiting list participants) | - | reported adequate relief of symptoms | #4 |
internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for IBS, based on exposure and mindfulness exercises | increase | improvements | participants that had completed the full treatment | - | improvements at follow-up were more pronounced | #5 |
internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for IBS, based on exposure and mindfulness exercises | increase | effects | IBS-patients | - | has long-term beneficial effects | #6 |
We conducted a follow-up of a previously reported study of internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for IBS, based on exposure and mindfulness exercises (Ljótsson et al. (2010). Internet-delivered exposure and mindfulness based therapy for irritable bowel syndrome - a randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48, 531-539). Seventy-five participants from the original sample of 85 (88%) reported follow-up data at 15-18 months (mean 16.4 months) after completing treatment. The follow-up sample included participants from both the original study's treatment group and waiting list after it had been crossed over to treatment. Intention-to-treat analysis showed that treatment gains were maintained on all outcome measures, including IBS symptoms, quality of life, and anxiety related to gastrointestinal symptoms, with mainly large effect sizes (within-group Cohen's d=0.78-1.11). A total of fifty participants (59% of the total original sample; 52% of the original treatment group participants and 65% of the original waiting list participants) reported adequate relief of symptoms. Improvements at follow-up were more pronounced for the participants that had completed the full treatment and maintenance of improvement did not seem to be dependent on further treatment seeking. This study suggests that internet-delivered CBT based on exposure and mindfulness has long-term beneficial effects for IBS-patients.