Burden of depression, anxiety, sexual impairment, and fatigue in patients with inflammatory bowel disease in the remission phase and their impact on quality of life

Abstract Background Anxiety and depressive disorders and sexual symptoms are common among IBD patients; however, the assessment and impact of these manifestations in the inactive stage are still lacking and unclear. So, the purpose of this research is to assess anxiety and depressive disorders and sexual symptoms among inactive, quiescent IBD patients. Furthermore, it addressed the impact of mental fatigue and different sociodemographic and psychological factors on quality of life domains. A total of Eighty participants, comprising Forty inactive IBD patients and Forty healthy individuals, aged 20–50 years, underwent comprehensive psychiatric and sexual assessment using scales (the Beck Depression Inventory, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Fatigue Assessment Scale, and Adult Quality of Life Inventory). Additionally, sexual scales were applied (The International Index of Erectile Function is designed for males, while the Female Sexual Function Index is intended for females). Results Inactive IBD patients exhibited significantly higher rates of DSM-5–diagnosed major depressive disorder (82.5%) and generalized anxiety disorders (70.0%), as assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5). They also demonstrated higher depression, anxiety, and fatigue severity scores; lower sexual scores; and significantly lower QOL across all domains ( p < 0.001). Fatigue showed the strongest association with impaired psychosocial and total QOL. Conclusion Depression, anxiety disorders, fatigue, and sexual impairment are common among patients with inactive IBD and are associated with significant deterioration in quality of life. Fatigue may represent a key predictive factor contributing to reduced quality of life in this population.