Clinical and demographic characteristics of participants
| H (n=30) | IBS-D (n=45) | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender, F:M | 16:14 | 34:11 | – |
| Age, years (range) | 33.7 (21–60) | 36.3 (18–60) | 0.24 |
| Frequency of abdominal pain, number of days | 0 | 5.5±2.9 | – |
| Intensity of abdominal pain, score | 0 | 51.3±25.0 | – |
| Bowel movements, number | 1.6±0.6 | 5.2±2.8 | <0.0001 |
| Stool consistency, Bristol score | 3.6±0.5 | 5.6±0.9 | <0.0001 |
| Basal stress, Holmes–Rahe score (range) | 90 (25–285) | 138 (25–889) | <0.05 |
Stool consistency: 1 (hard to pass) to 7 (entirely liquid). Values of p<0.05 in bold.
F, female; H, healthy subjects; IBS-D, diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome; M, male.