Table 1. Characteristics of the studies included in the meta-analysis.

Study (First Author)	Country	Year of publication	Jadad Score	Diagnostic Criteria	Type	Depression Comorbidity	Control	Sample (M/F)	No. of subjects in treatment group	Dropout due to side effects in treatment group	No. of subjects in control group	Dropout due to side effects in control group	Antidepressants	Course	Follow-up
Heefner JD	USA	1978	4	clinical diagnosis and investigations	no report	few	placebo	44(no report)	22	3	22	1	Desipramine 150mg qn	2M	2M
Myren J	Norway	1982	3	clinical diagnosis and investigations	no report	no report	placebo	61(28/33)	30	0	31	0	Trimipramine 50mg qn	4W	4W
Drossman	USA and Canada	2003	7	Rome I	no report	partly	placebo	172(0/172)	115	/	57	/	Desipramine 50 mg qdfor 1 week, 100 mg qd for 1 week, and then 150 mg qd from week 3 to week 12	12W	12W
Vahedi H	Iran	2008	6	Rome II	IBS-D	no report	placebo	54(30/24)	27	1	27	1	Amitriptyline 10 mg qn	2M	2M
Abdul-Baki H	Lebanon	2009	7	Rome II	IBS-C, IBS-D, IBS-M	no	placebo	107(62/45)	59	14	48	6	Imipramine 25mg qd. Doubling the dose was allowed once at week 2.	12W	12W
Masand PS	USA	2009	4	Rome II	no report	no	placebo	72(9/63)	36	3	36	2	Paroxetine controlled-release;started at 12.5mg po qd,increased biweekly in 12.5 mg/d; maximum dose 50mg po qd; mean dose 30mg po qd	12 W	12 W
Creed F	England	2003	3	Rome I	IBS-C, IBS-D, other	partly	routine care	172(35/137)	86	29	86	/	Paroxetine 20 mg po qd	3 M	3M, 1Y
Kuiken SD	Holland	2003	7	Rome I	IBS-C, IBS-D, IBS-A	no	placebo	40(18/22)	19	2	21	4	Fluoxetine 20mg po qn	6 W	6 W
Tack J	Belgium	2006	4	RomeII	IBS-C, IBS-D, IBS-A	no	placebo	23(5/18)	11	1	12	1	Citalopram 20 mg during the first three weeks and 40 mg during the second three weeks	6 W	3 W, 6W
Ladabaum U	USA	2010	7	Rome II	IBS-C, IBS-D, IBS-A	no	placebo	54(10/44)	27	7	27	2	Citalopram 20 mg qd for 4 weeks, then 40 mg qd for 4 weeks	8 W	4 W, 8 W
Vahedi H	Iran	2005	6	Rome II	pain and IBS-C	no severe	placebo	44(17/27)	22	0	22	0	Fluoxetine 20mg po qd	12W,16W	12W, 16W
Talley NJ	Australia	2008	6	Rome II	IBS-C, IBS-D	no	placebo	34(13/21)	18	/	16	/	Imipramine beginning at a dose of 25 mg qn; then increased 2 weeks later to 50 mg qn	12W	12W
Talley NJ	Australia	2008	6	Rome II	IBS-C, IBS-D	no	placebo	33(13/20)	17	/	16	/	Citalopram beginning at 20 mg qd andincreased to 40 mg qd 2 weeks later	12W	12W