Baseline characteristics of patients compared with those who dropped out
| Available for analysis (N=98) | Dropped out (N=22) | p Value (difference between analysed and dropped out) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 41 (12) | 40 (12) | 0.689 |
| Gender (women), N (%) | 74 (75.0) | 14 (64.0) | 0.303 |
| Stool form | 5.4 (0.7) | 5.5 (0.7) | 0.758 |
| Days with morning rush*, median (IQR) | 1 (0–3) | 2 (0–6) | 0.078 |
| Days with pain, median (IQR) | 6 (3–7) | 6.5 (5–7) | 0.256 |
| Days with urgency, median (IQR) | 6.5 (5–7) | 7 (6–7) | 0.642 |
| Days with bloating, median (IQR) | 6 (3–7) | 7 (5–7) | 0.252 |
| Pain score | 1.3 (0.8) | 1.5 (0.8) | 0.574 |
| Urgency score | 1.6 (0.7) | 1.6 (0.8) | 0.826 |
| Bloating score | 1.3 (0.9) | 1.7 (0.9) | 0.085 |
| Frequency of defaecation per day, median (IQR) | 2.6 (1.9–3.7) | 3.6 (2.1–6.6) | 0.033 |
| Anxiety | 9.5 (4.3) | 10.4 (5.5) | 0.553 |
| Depression, median (IQR) | 5 (3–9) | 5.5 (1–10) | 0.670 |
| Patient Health Questionnaire 15 | 12 (4.0) | 13.3 (5.0) | 0.283 |
| IBS severity score | 302 (85) | 330 (83) | 0.324 |
| Patient stress score | 17.9 (7.4) | 20.3 (8.8) | 0.322 |
| IBS QOL | 455 (150) | 403 (189) | 0.102 |
Means (SDs) are shown if not stated otherwise.
*Defined as more than three bowel movements before midday.
IBS, irritable bowel syndrome; QOL, quality of life.