Cognitive behavioral therapy delivered by phone or via the web leads to improvements in patient-reported outcomes in irritable bowel syndrome, according to UK research.

A 12-month study of nearly 560 patients with refractory IBS compared the effectiveness of telephone-delivered and web-based CBT at reducing IBS symptoms and impact with treatment as usual.

IBS Symptom Severity Scores, which range from 0 to 500, were 62 points lower (better) than with usual treatment at 12 months in the telephone group and 35 points lower in the web group, the researchers reported in Gut.

These differences were statistically significant.