Table 1.
Subject characteristics
| IBS patients | Healthy volunteers | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of subjects: N | 13 | 11 | – |
| Age (95% CI): years | 37.2 (33.0–44.5) | 37.1 (30.1–44.1) | 0.978 |
| Female subjects: n (%) | 7/13 (53.8%) | 7/11 (63.6%) | 0.697 |
| Chinese subjects: n (%) | 10/13 (76.9%) | 7/11 (63.6%) | 0.659 |
| PSS-10 scoresa: mean (95% CI) | 21.6 (19.3 –23.9) | 15.0 (10.0–20.8) | 0.019 |
| PSS-10 scoresa >18: n (%) | 10/13 (76.9%) | 4/11 (36.4%) | 0.095 |
| Anxiety HADS scoresb: mean (95% CI) | 9.3 (7.1–11.5) | 4.4 (2.3–6.4) | 0.0008 |
| Anxiety HADS scoresb > 7: n (%) | 9/13 (69.2%) | 1/11 (9.1%) | 0.005 |
| Depression HADS scoresb: mean (95% CI) | 4.7 (2.6–6.8) | 2.8 (0.9 – 4.9) | 0.19 |
| Depression HADS scoresb >7: n (%) | 3/13 (23.1%) | 3/11 (27.3%) | 1.000 |
a
Scores of stress levels range from 0 to 40.
b
Scores of anxiety and depression range from 0 to 21, with < 7 defined as the normal range.
IBS: irritable bowel syndrome; CI: confidence interval; PSS-10: Perceived Stress Scale 10-item questionnaire; HADS: Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale.