Table 2. Symptoms reported by patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

IBS-type	Stool frequency	Stool consistency/type (Bristol stool form scale)	Frequency of abdominal pain in days/week
IBS-D	3–4/day	7	7
IBS-A	Variable	2, 3, 7	7
IBS-C	Once every 2–3 days	2, 3	6
IBS-A	Variable	3, 6	2
IBS-A	Variable	3, 6	7
IBS-A	Variable	2, 3, 6	7
IBS-D	2–3/day	7	7
IBS-C	Once every 1–2 days	3	2
IBS-C	Once every 2 days	2	1
IBS-D	3–4/day	6, 7	7
IBS-A	Variable	2, 6	2
IBS-C	Once every 1–2 days	2	0 (pain every few weeks)
IBS-D	3/day	7	6
IBS-D	2/day	6	3
IBS-C	Once every 2 days	2	3
IBS-C	Once every 1–2 days	2	1
IBS-D	4–5/day	7	7
IBS-A	Variable	2, 6	7
IBS-D	4/day	6	2
IBS-A	Variable	2, 7	5
IBS-A	Variable	3, 6	2
IBS-C	Once every 1–3 days	2	3
IBS-D	4/day	6	2

IBS-A, irritable bowel syndrome with an alternating stool pattern; IBS-C constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome; IBS-D diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.