Psychological disorders and chronic constipation

1TO THE EDITOR: I read with interest Hosseinzadeh et al's paper (1). The aim of their study was to screen two categories of psychiatric disorders in chronic functional constipation, using HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and MINI (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview) on fifty four constipated patients. They concluded that the prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders in constipated patients is much higher than general population and in order to reduce health care costs for constipated patients, we need to have an intervention program for co-morbid psychological dysfunctions which affect the course of gastrointestinal disorders