Background. Previously it was shown that during a series
of
out-patient consultations
dysfunctional complaint-related cognitions and anxiety diminished significantly
in patients with
functional abdominal complaints (IBS). The aim of the present study was
to assess
the maintenance of positive changes initiated during medical consultations
in
the patients'
complaint-related cognitions and anxiety, as well as the influence of these
cognitions on the
severity of the complaints, 6 months after the first visit to the
out-patient clinic.
Methods. One hundred and five consecutive patients with IBS
referred
by their general practitioners to the out-patient clinic for internal medicine
completed questionaires about their
complaints and their complaint-related cognitions and anxiety before the
first
and after the last
out-patient visit and again at follow-up, 6 months after the first out-patient
consultation.
Results. Positive changes in the patients' complaint-related cognitions
during the consulting
period were found to persist during the follow-up period. Improvement in
abdominal
complaints at follow-up was found to be related to the level of the patients'
state anxiety, fear
of cancer, and catastrophizing cognitions at the last out-patient visit.
Conclusions. Medical consultations can bring about long-lasting
positive changes in
prognostically unfavourable cognitions and anxiety. These changes appear
to
be related to a better outcome of IBS.