Table 3.
Critical results of network meta-analysis for bowel movement frequency and Bristol stool form scale in patients with IBS.
| Outcome | Efficacy Level A 1 | Efficacy Level B | Efficacy Level C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Probiotic | Network Meta-Analysis 2 | GRADE | Probiotic | Network Meta-Analysis | GRADE | Probiotic | |
| Bowel movement frequency (IBS-D) | EF + LA + X | −3.95 (−5.02, −2.88) |
M | L. paracasei B21060 | −5.11 (−9.98, −0.24) |
H | L. plantarum Apsulloc 331261, LP + LC + BL + ST + LA + X, C. butyricum CGMCC0313.1, S. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856, S. boulardii CNCM I-475 |
| L. paracasei HA-196 | −3.13 (−4.63, −1.62) |
H | |||||
| B. coagulans GBI-306086 | −2.11 (−3.00, −1.23) |
M | |||||
| B. longum R0175 | −1.95 (−3.45, −0.45) |
H | |||||
| Bowel movement frequency (IBS-C) | None | None | B. bifidum MIMBb75, LA + ST + X, S. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856, L. paracasei HA-196, B. coagulans Unique IS2, B. longum R0175, BAL + ST + LB | ||||
| Bristol stool form scale (IBS-D) |
B. coagulans MTCC 5856 | −3.28 (−5.21, −1.34) |
L | BL + LR | −0.80 (−1.57, −0.03) |
L | L. paracasei HA-196, B. bifidum MIMBb75, VSL#3, C. butyricum CGMCC0313.1, B. longum R0175, LP + LC + BL + ST + LA + X, S. boulardii CNCM I-475 |
| S. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 | −1.24 (−1.63, −0.86) |
L | LA + LR + ST + BL + BBR + X | −0.70 (−1.32, −0.08) |
M | ||
| LP + LP + PA | −0.50 (−0.76, −0.24) |
L | |||||
| Bristol stool form scale (IBS-C) |
None | None | L. paracasei HA-196, S. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856, B. longum R0175, BAL + ST + LB | ||||
1 Efficacy level A (among the most effective): probiotics that are significantly superior to placebo and at least 1 probiotic in level B. Efficacy level B: probiotics that are more effective than placebo, but not superior to any other of the probiotic(s) superior to placebo. Efficacy level C (among the least effective): probiotics with no significant difference compared to placebo. 2 The network meta-analysis results were the efficacy of probiotics compared to placebo. Mean difference with 95% confidence intervals in parentheses. Abbreviations: IBS-D, IBS with predominant diarrhea; IBS-C, IBS with predominant constipation; GRADE, The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation system; H, high; M, moderate; L, low.