Anxiety Symptoms in Adult Celiac Patients and the Effect of a Gluten-Free Diet: An Iranian Nationwide Study
Mohammad Rostami‐Nejad, Nazanin Taraghikhah, Carolina Ciacci, Mohamad Amin Pourhoseingholi, Farnoush Barzegar, Mostafa Rezaei–Tavirani, David Aldulaimi, Mohammad Reza Zali
Abstract
<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Psychiatric disorders, especially anxiety, are considered extraintestinal manifestations of celiac disease (CD). <b><i>Objective:</i></b> This study aims to evaluate the level of anxiety in treated patients with CD in Iran. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A total of 283 CD patients (190 female, 93 male) were enrolled in a study during 2016–2018 from 9 centers in Iran. The Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale questionnaire was completed. The anxiety index was calculated. Also, demographic data and the duration of treatment with a gluten-free diet (GFD) were recorded. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 20. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Anxiety symptoms were reported in 67.8% of patients. Female patients had a higher anxiety index than male patients. Duration of treatment with a GFD did not influence the anxiety index (17.3% were on a GFD for &#x3c;1 year, 33.6% for 1–2 years, and 49.1% had GFD for &#x3e;2 years; <i>p</i> = 0.86). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> These results suggest that anxiety symptoms are common among patients, especially females, with CD in Iran and GFD duration has no effect on their improvement.