Characteristics of included studies
| Author (year) reference | Country | Method used to identify BAM in patients with FBD+diarrhoea | Inclusion/exclusion* criteria for IBS-D or chronic diarrhoea | Inclusion of cholecystectomy patients | Age of patients (years) | Gender |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aziz et al (2015)17 | UK | 75SeHCAT | Rome III | No | 41.7 | 86/32 (F/M) |
| Bajor et al (2015)15 | Sweden | 75SeHCAT | Rome II | No | 35.3 (17–71) | 102/39 (F/M) |
| Borghede (2011)18 | Denmark | 75SeHCAT | Chronic diarrhoea: >2 formed stools/day | No | 42 (16–82) | 198/100 (F/M) |
| Brydon et al (1996)19 | UK | 75SeHCAT, serum C4 | Chronic diarrhoea: no specifications | No | 47 (18–84) F 43 (16–79) M | 108/56 (F/M) |
| Brydon et al (2011)20 | Scotland | Serum C4 | Unexplained diarrhoea: diagnosed as type I, II, III BAM | Yes | Not reported | Not reported |
| Camilleri et al (2009)21 | USA | Serum C4 | IBS-D: criteria not specified | Yes | Not reported | Not reported |
| Camilleri (2014)22 | USA | Serum FGF19, C4 and total faecal BA in 48 h | Rome III | Yes | 41.9±1.5 | 59/5 |
| Eusufzai (1993)23 | Sweden | 75SeHCAT | Chronic diarrhoea: no specifications | No | 45 (24–63) | 12/2 (F/M) |
| Fernandez-Banares (2001)24 | Spain | 75SeHCAT | Rome II | Yes | 52.7 | 21/11 (F/M) |
| Fernandez-Banares et al (2007)25 | Spain | 75SeHCAT | Rome II | No | 52.2±2 | 47/15 (F/M) |
| Ford (1992)26 | UK | 75SeHCAT | Unexplained diarrhoea: type I and III BAM excluded | No | 18–79 | 89/77 (F/M): total group |
| Galatola (1992)27 | Italy | 75SeHCAT | Rome III criteria listed | Yes | 43 (14–76) | 53/45 (F/M) |
| Gracie et al (2012)28 | UK | 75SeHCAT | IBS-D: criteria not specified | No | 48 (17–90) | 258/373 (F/M) |
| Gray and Robinson (2013)29 | Ireland | 75SeHCAT | IBS-D: criteria not specified | No | not reported | 41/20 |
| Hashim et al (2012)30 | UK | 75SeHCAT | IBS-D: criteria not specified | Yes | Not reported | Not reported |
| Kok et al (2013)31 | UK | 75SeHCAT | IBS-D: criteria not specified | No | 37–74 | Not reported |
| Kumar (2013)32 | UK | 75SeHCAT | Chronic diarrhoea: no specifications | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Kurien et al (2011)33 | UK | 75SeHCAT | Rome II IBS-D | No | 49 (17–86) | 192/81 (F/M) |
| Maisterra et al (2012)34 | Spain | 75SeHCAT | Rome II | Yes | 58 (42–74) | 61/23 |
| Merrick et al (1985)35 | UK | 75SeHCAT | Chronic diarrhoea: no specifications | Yes | Not reported | Not reported |
| Muller et al (2004)36 | Sweden | 75SeHCAT | Rome III, but only 4 weeks of symptoms | Yes | 46 | 103/55 (F/M) |
| Notta et al (2014)37 | Spain | 75SeHCAT | Chronic diarrhoea: no specifications | Not reported | (20–87) | 56/22 (F/M) |
| Orekoya et al (2012)38 | UK | 75SeHCAT | IBS-D: no criteria documented in abstract | No | Not reported | Not reported |
| Pattni et al (2013)39 | UK | Serum FGF19 | Chronic diarrhoea of unknown aetiology, ≥3 stools per day of Bristol stool type 6 or 7, with symptoms persisting for more than 3 months | No | 45 (31–59) | 47/25 |
| 75SeHCAT | 47 (34–57) | 30/24 | ||||
| Rossel (1999)40 | Denmark | 75SeHCAT | >2 watery stools/day for 3 weeks | No | 52 (32–80) | 10/6 (F/M) |
| Rudberg and Nylander (1996)41 | Sweden | 75SeHCAT | Urgent watery diarrhoea for a mean of 13 years; otherwise not specified | No | 13 (1–30) | 16/4 (F/M) |
| Sauter (1999)42 | Germany | Serum C4 | Chronic diarrhoea: no specifications | No | 49.4±15.3 | 13/10 (F/M) |
| Sciarretta (1987)43 | Italy | 75SeHCAT | IBS-D: no criteria documented | No | 41 (17–73) | 26/20 (F/M) |
| Sciarretta et al (1994)44 | Italy | 75SeHCAT | Chronic diarrhoea: no specifications | No | 43 (23–68) | 7/7 (F/M) |
| Shivaji et al (2014)45 | UK | 75SeHCAT | Chronic diarrhoea, extensive evaluation for organic causes | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Sinha et al (1998)46 | UK | 75SeHCAT | Manning criteria | No | 50 (43–57) | 3/6 (F/M) |
| Smith et al (2000)47 | UK | 75SeHCAT | diarrhoea, bloating, relief after BM, normal GI testing | Yes | Not reported | Not reported |
| Thomsen et al (1998)48 | Denmark | 75SeHCAT | Unexplained chronic diarrhoea after exclusion of other causes | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Ung (2000)49 | Sweden | 75SeHCAT | Long-standing diarrhoea with questionnaire documentation for Rome III criteria | No | 52 (22–85) | 58/36 (F/M) |
| Wildt (2003)50 | Denmark | 75SeHCAT | 3 weeks’ change in stool frequency and/or consistency | No | Not reported | 87/48 (F/M): total |
| Wong et al (2012)51 | USA | Serum C4, FGF19, total faecal BA in 48 h | Rome II | Yes | 40 (29–51) | Not reported |
*Extensively ruled out organic causes of chronic diarrhoea.
BA, bile acid; BAM, bile acid malabsorption; BM, bowel movement; FBD, functional bowel disorder; FGF19, fibroblast growth factor 19; IBS-D, diarrhoea-predominant IBS; 75SeHCAT, 75selenium homotaurocholic acid test.