Table 1.
Characteristics of the patients and the baseline adequate relief*, bowel function scores**, symptom scores**, and IBS quality of life scores**.
| Variables | GJS+DUO (n = 13) |
GJS+DUO-P (n = 14) |
GJS-P+DUO (n = 14) |
GJS-P+DUO-P (n = 12) |
P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean age (SD) | 49.6 (14.3) | 47.5 (13.6) | 47.1 (10.5) | 47.5 (16.0) | 0.959 |
| Mean BMI (SD) | 22.8 (3.6) | 22.3 (3.8) | 22.9 (3.0) | 23.3 (3.2) | 0.684 |
| Male (%) | 73.3 | 62.5 | 50.0 | 76.5 | 0.415 |
| Smoking (%) | 20.0 | 25.0 | 18.8 | 17.6 | 0.974 |
| Drinking (%) | 80.0 | 56.3 | 62.5 | 52.9 | 0.423 |
| Adequate relief (%) | 15.4 | 25.0 | 13.3 | 0.0 | 0.243 |
| Bowel function score | |||||
| Frequency | 15.54 (8.60) | 13.64 (7.07) | 15.00 (7.08) | 12.23 (5.42) | 0.646 |
| Consistency† | 1.66 (1.02) | 0.87 (0.61) | 1.13 (0.76) | 1.31 (0.91) | 0.079 |
| Ease of passage‡ | 1.04 (1.09) | 1.19 (0.74) | 1.30 (0.80) | 1.21 (0.69) | 0.326 |
| Symptom score (mm) | |||||
| Abdominal pain | 38.49 (20.40) | 31.04 (17.73) | 40.48 (17.60) | 32.37 (22.24) | 0.554 |
| Abdominal discomfort | 39.65 (20.17) | 34.82 (19.72) | 43.87 (17.54) | 36.82 (17.44) | 0.638 |
| Bloating | 39.11 (21.20) | 30.12 (17.25) | 40.35 (19.95) | 35.47 (20.95) | 0.554 |
| Flatulence | 36.04 (16.72) | 27.41 (15.63) | 38.57 (17.07) | 32.96 (20.51) | 0.400 |
| Urgency | 38.97 (18.34) | 34.58 (18.73) | 44.33 (14.59) | 38.44 (13.62) | 0.507 |
| Mucus in stool | 36.65 (20.83) | 26.43 (18.28) | 37.50 (17.77) | 35.31 (19.64) | 0.416 |
| Overall symptom | 46.90 (23.24) | 36.77 (18.24) | 51.08 (12.98) | 43.40 (14.15) | 0.209 |
| Overall IBS quality of life | 52.00 (29.14) | 42.21 (22.49) | 54.92 (24.78) | 41.00 (18.26) | 0.366 |
GJS: Gwakhyangjeonggisan, DUO: Duolac7S, GJS-P: placebo of Gwakhyangjeonggisan, DUO-P: placebo of Duolac7S.
Baseline values were analyzed by Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and one-way ANOVA for continuous variables.
*Adequate relief is presented as the percentage of the number answering “yes” to AR question/total number.
**Bowel function, symptom, and IBS quality of life scores are presented as mean (standard deviation).
†Used a scale of 1–7: 1, watery stool; 7, hard, lumpy stool (based on Bristol stool form scale).
‡Used a scale of 1–7: 1, fecal incontinence; 7, manual disimpaction.