| Group | Number of patients | Age mean (range) | Sex ratio (M/F) |
| IBS-D | 24 (+7) | 49 (19–75) | 9/42 |
| IBS-C | 18 (+4) | ||
| IBS-A | 10 (+3) | ||
| UC | 17 (+2) | 41 (18–79) | 6/11 |
| INF | 23 (+18) | 52 (19–90) | 12/11 |
| Healthy subjects | 25 (+10) | 44 (30–65) | 4/21 |
Numbers in parentheses represent additional patients enrolled compared with our previous study.2
IBS-A, alternating pattern irritable bowel syndrome; IBS-C, constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome; IBS-D, diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome; INF, infectious acute diarrhoea; UC, ulcerative colitis.