Table 1. Baseline characteristics of the MIBS cohort groups (i.e. IBS patients versus HC).
| Parameter | IBS (n = 196) | HC (n = 160) |
|---|---|---|
| Demographics and Lifestyle | ||
| Age (mean years ± SD) | 44.8 ± 16.4 | 43.9 ± 19.2 |
| Female sex (%) | 70.4 | 61.3 |
| BMI (mean kg/m2 ± SD) | 25.0 ± 4.6* | 24.0 ± 3.9 |
| Duration of IBS symptoms (mean years ± SD) | 13.6 ± 10.8 | – |
| IBS subtype: IBS-D/IBS-C/IBS-M/IBS-U (n) | 71/34/78/13 | – |
| Current or previous smoker (%) | 51.6*** | 39.3 |
| Alcohol abstainers: 0 units/week (%) | 42.1*** | 19.1 |
| Moderate alcohol use: 1–15 units/week (%) | 54.7** | 70.7 |
| GI symptoms assessed by end-of-day diary, 14-day mean ± SD | ||
| Abdominal pain | 2.3 ± 0.9*** | 1.1 ± 0.2 |
| Abdominal discomfort | 2.4 ± 0.8*** | 1.1 ± 0.2 |
| Bloating | 2.2 ± 0.9*** | 1.1 ± 0.2 |
| Belching | 1.6 ± 0.7*** | 1.1 ± 0.3 |
| Nausea | 1.6 ± 0.8*** | 1.0 ± 0.1 |
| Flatulence | 2.3 ± 0.9*** | 1.3 ± 0.5 |
| Constipation | 1.5 ± 0.7*** | 1.1 ± 0.2 |
| Diarrhea | 1.5 ± 0.6*** | 1.0 ± 0.1 |
Differences tested with independent samples t-test and Pearson Chi2; *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001 vs. HC.