TABLE 1.
Baseline characteristics
| IBS patients (n = 20) | Healthy controls (n = 21) | |
|---|---|---|
| Age, years, mean ± SD | 25.4 ± 3.2 | 24.6 ± 3.6 |
| Females, % | 90 | 90 |
| BMI, kg/m2, mean ± SD | 24.6 ± 6.6 | 23.6 ± 2.8 |
| Subtype (%) | ||
| IBS‐C | 25 | NA |
| IBS‐D | 40 | |
| IBS‐M | 30 | |
| IBS‐U | 5 | |
| IBS duration, years, mean ± SD | 9.8 ± 5.6 | NA |
| Anti‐tTG antibodies positivity (%) | 0 | 0 |
| Faecal calprotectin, mean ± SD | 22 ± 38 | 22 ± 11 |
| IBS‐SSS total, mean ± SD | 334 ± 63 | 11 ± 16 |
| BSF hard stools, mean % ± SD | 15.6 ± 21.2 | 6.6 ± 9.5 |
| BSF loose stools, mean % ± SD | 22.3 ± 24.0 | 3.2 ± 5.5 |
| BSF normal stools, mean % ± SD | 62.1 ± 24.2 | 90.2 ± 11.6 |
| HADS anxiety, mean ± SD | 7 ± 5 | 4 ± 3 |
| HADS depression, mean ± SD | 3 ± 4 | 1 ± 1 |
| PHQ‐12 somatic symptoms, mean ± SD | 8 ± 4 | 3 ± 2 |
Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; BSF, Bristol stool form; HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; IBS, irritable bowel syndrome; IBS‐C, IBS with predominant constipation; IBS‐D, IBS with predominant diarrhoea; IBS‐M, IBS with mixed bowel habits; IBS‐SSS, IBS severity scoring system; IBS‐U, IBS with unspecified bowel habits; PHQ, Patient Health Questionnaire; tTG, tissue transglutaminase.