Table 1.

Baseline characteristics

Variable	Overall		Excluding patients with severe constipation		P value
	A (mosapride)	B (placebo)	C (mosapride)	D (placebo)	A vs B	C vs D
No. of patients	124	125	108	120
Age (yr, mean ± SD)	67.3 ± 8.6	67.8 ± 10.1	67.3 ± 8.5	67.5 ± 10.2	NS	NS
< 60	21	21	18	21	NS	NS
60-69	42	44	37	42
≥ 70	61	60	53	57
Male	69	83	64	80	NS	NS
Female	55	42	44	40
Body mass index (kg/m2, mean ± SD)	22.5 ± 2.9	22.6 ± 2.7	22.7 ± 2.9	22.7 ± 2.6	NS	NS
Bowel movements per week
< 2	16	5	0	0	< 0.05	NS
≥ 2	108	120	108	120
Previous colonoscopy
None (first time)	38	27	32	26	NS	NS
≥ 2	86	98	76	94

P value by the χ² test. NS: Not significant.