Table 1.
Baseline characteristics. Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise
| Characteristic | Psyllium (n=85) | Bran (n=97) | Placebo (n=93) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 35 (10) (n=81) | 34 (12) (n=89) | 35 (18) (n=86) |
| Female | 64 (75) | 74 (76) | 77 (83) |
| White ethnicity | 79 (93) | 87/94 (93) | 84/87 (97) |
| Duration of symptoms (years): | (n=95) | (n=88) | |
| <2 | 19 (22) | 31 (33) | 17 (19) |
| 2-5 | 27 (32) | 24 (25) | 18 (21) |
| 6-10 | 13 (15) | 17 (18) | 18 (21) |
| >10 | 26 (31) | 23 (24) | 35 (40) |
| IBS according to Rome II criteria | 35 (41) | 39 (40) | 33 (36) |
| IBS subtype: | |||
| Constipation | 45 (53) | 56 (58) | 54 (58) |
| Diarrhoea | 25 (29) | 18 (19) | 25 (27) |
| Alternating | 15 (18) | 23 (24) | 14 (15) |
| IBS symptoms—mean (SD): | |||
| IBS symptom severity score (0-500) | 262 (68) (n=80) | 270 (77) (n=82) | 279 (70) (n=82) |
| Severity of abdominal pain (0-100) | 43 (29) (n=82) | 54 (32) (n=86) | 55 (37) (n=77) |
| IBS quality of life scale (0-100) | 72 (16) (n=77) | 74 (16) (n=83) | 74 (15) (n=79) |
| Dietary intake—mean (SD): | |||
| Fibre (g/day) | 28 (12) | 28 (15) (n=96) | 27 (15) (n=90) |
| Fluids (l/day) | 2.3 (1.0) | 2.4 (1.0) (n=96) | 2.4 (1.0) (n=91) |
IBS=irritable bowel syndrome.