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. 2022 Aug 31;93(4):e2022258.
doi: 10.23750/abm.v93i4.12463.

Gender differences in Anxious-depressive symptomatology, Metabolic Syndrome and Colorectal Adenomas among outpatients undergoing colonoscopy: a cross-sectional study according to a PNEI perspective

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Gender differences in Anxious-depressive symptomatology, Metabolic Syndrome and Colorectal Adenomas among outpatients undergoing colonoscopy: a cross-sectional study according to a PNEI perspective

Giulia Rioli et al. Acta Biomed. .

Abstract

Background and aim of the work: To explore gender differences in patients suffering from anxious-depressive symptoms, Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and Colorectal Adenomas (CRAs) in a sample of outpatients undergoing colonoscopy for screening purposes.

Methods: Cross-sectional study. 126 consecutive outpatients of both sexes undergoing colonoscopy for non-specific abdominal symptoms between January 2015 and June 2021 at the Modena Policlinico General Hospital (Modena, Northern Italy) were enrolled. MetS was diagnosed according to ATPIII and IDF criteria. Anxiety and depression were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), while the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) was used to study personality. The SF-36 was also included as a measure of quality of life perception.

Results: Among 126 outpatients (51.60% male) undergoing colonoscopy, 51 (44%) had CRAs, 54 (47%) MetS, 41 (41.40%) anxiety symptoms, 22 (22.20%) depressive symptoms and 13 (13.10%) combined anxious-depressive symptoms. HADS-Anxiety (t=2.68, p=0.01) and TCI Reward Dependence (TCI-RD) (t=3.01, p=0.00) mean scores were significantly higher in women; conversely, SF-36 Mental Component Summary scores were higher in men. CRAs were significantly prevalent in men (χ2=9.32, p=0.00) and were statistically significantly associated with male sex at the univariate logistic regression analysis (OR=3.27; p<0.01). At the multivariate logistic regression, diastolic hypertension (p<0.01) was positively associated with male sex, while TCI-RD (p=0.04) and HDL hypocholesterolemia (p=0.02) were inversely associated with male sex.

Conclusions: Several significant gender differences in anxious-depressive symptoms, MetS and CRAs were found. These preliminary data suggest the need to consider gender specificities while implementing therapeutic, diagnostic, and preventive strategies.

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Conflict of interest statement

Each author declares that he or she has no commercial associations (e.g. consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangement etc.) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Statistically significant differences for normally distributed continuous variables according to gender. *=p<0.05; **=p≤0.01. List of abbreviations: HDL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HADS-A, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Anxiety subscale; TRP, tryptophan; KYN, kynurenine; 3HK, 3-hydrossikynurenine.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Statistically significant differences for not normally distributed continuous variables according to gender. **=p≤0.01. List of abbreviations: DBP, diastolic blood pressure; SF36, 36-item Short-Form Health Survey; MCS, Mental Component Summary.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Statistically significant differences for dichotomous variables according to gender. *=p<0.05, **=p≤0.01. List of abbreviations: CRAs, Colorectal Adenomas; HADS-A, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Anxiety subscale; HADS-AD, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Anxiety and Depression total score; LDL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; DBP, diastolic blood pressure.

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