Gut‐directed hypnotherapy significantly augments clinical remission in quiescent ulcerative colitis

Summary Background Psychotherapy is not routinely recommended for in ulcerative colitis (UC). Gut‐directed hypnotherapy (HYP) has been linked to improved function in the gastrointestinal tract and may operate through immune‐mediated pathways in chronic diseases. Aims To determine the feasibility and acceptability of HYP and estimate the impact of HYP on clinical remission status over a 1‐year period in patients with an historical flare rate of 1.3 times per year. Methods A total of 54 patients were randomised at a single site to seven sessions of gut‐directed HYP (n = 26) or attention control (CON; n = 29) and followed for 1 year. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants in each condition that had remained clinically asymptomatic (clinical remission) through 52 weeks post treatment. Results One‐way analysis of variance comparing HYP and CON subjects on number of days to clinical relapse favoured the HYP condition [F = 4.8 (1, 48), P = 0.03] by 78 days. Chi‐squared analysis comparing the groups on proportion maintaining remission at 1 year was also significant [χ2(1) = 3.9, P = 0.04], with 68% of HYP and 40% of CON patients maintaining remission for 1 year. There were no significant differences between groups over time in quality of life, medication adherence, perceived stress or psychological factors. Conclusion This is the first prospective study that has demonstrated a significant effect of a psychological intervention on prolonging clinical remission in patients with quiescent ulcerative colitis (Clinical Trial # NCT00798642).