Determination of the frequency of irritable bowel syndrome in seborrheic dermatitis patients and its relationship with psychogenic stress scales

Introduction and Purpose: Seborrheic dermatitis with remissions and exacerbations is a chronic dermatosis characterised by oily-yellow squamous, erythematous, sharp-edged plaques. The scalp, face, flexural and presternal areas are prone to the disease. Another disorder known to be initiated or exacerbated by psychogenic stress is irritable bowel syndrome, a functional disorder characterised by abdominal pain or abdominal discomfort with changes in stool consistency and frequency. Chronic stress can trigger dysbiosis. Changes in the function of the skin and gut microbiota are linked to various skin diseases. The role of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome has attracted attention in recent years. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the significant connections between the gut-skin-stress axis and to shed light on new treatment approaches to improve the quality of life of patients. Materials and Method: Between 03.04.2024 and 01.01.2025, 100 patients diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis and 100 healthy controls between the ages of 18-65 who applied to Ahi Evran University Kırşehir Training and Research Hospital Skin and Venereal Diseases Outpatient Clinic were included in the study. Informed consent form was obtained from everyone included in the study. In addition to the questionnaire including demographic data, the DASS-21 (Depression-Anxiety-Stress) scale and perceived stress scale, which are among the psychogenic stress scales, and the Rome III diagnostic criteria, Manning criteria and Bristol stool scale questionnaire questions were applied to both groups to evaluate the presence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the significance between the results was evaluated. Our study is a single-centre, cross-sectional study. Results: The median scores of the patient group with seborrhoeic dermatitis on the depression, anxiety and stress subscales of the DASS-21 scale were significantly higher than the control group (p<0.001). In addition, according to the perceived stress scale score, the rate of being between 29-56 points in the seborrheic dermatitis patient group was significantly higher than the control group (p<0.001). The median scores on the DASS-21 depression, anxiety and stress subscales and perceived stress scale scores of patients with IBS were significantly higher than those without IBS (p<0.001). The incidence of IBS in the seborrhoeic dermatitis patient group was significantly higher than in the control group (p<0.001). In addition, the median scores on the DASS-21 depression, anxiety and stress subscales and the perceived stress scale scores of seborrheic dermatitis patients with IBS were significantly higher than those in the IBS and control groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: The incidence of IBS in patients with seborrhoeic dermatitis was higher than the incidence of IBS in healthy individuals and both diseases were correlated with stress factors. Future comprehensive studies involving larger patient populations will increase the reliability and scientific value of the current findings. Keywords: Anxiety, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, seborrheic dermatitis, stress.