Table 2 Baseline demographic data and symptom scores of participants

Age

44.66 (11.98)

43.71 (12.76)

BMI

26.75 (4.03)

25.85 (3.61)

Percentage

Male

15

15

Non-smoker

47

56

Light smoker (<10 per day)

8

6

Heavy smoker (>10 per day)

14

18

Former smoker

32

21

White ethnic group

91

86

Other ethnic group combined

9

14

Mental Health

10

1

Score

IBS-SSS (Max score 500 – higher scores indicating greater symptom burden

258.70 (86.51)

251.73 (76.13)

IBS symptoms (Birmingham Score) (Max score 100 for all dimensions – higher scores represent greater well-being)

Constipation

47.31 (26.86)

49.08 (25.75)

Diarrhoea

84.58 (15.17)

85.62 (11.72)

Pain

62.50 (19.74)

60.95 (19.62)

Total

68.36 (12.00)

68.90 (11.07)

IBS specific symptoms (Scored 0–5 with greater scores indicating greater symptom burden)

Pain

2.50 (1.08)

2.50 (1.08)

Bloating

3.13 (1.18)

3.16 (0.97)

Flatulence

3.18 (1.14)

2.88 (1.16)

Composite score

8.80 (2.65)

8.54 (2.50)

Stool frequency (Stools per day)

1.17 (0.93)

1.19 (0.96)

Stool consistency (From Bristol Stool Form)

3.14 (1.64)

3.20 (1.60)

Bowel movement difficulty (Scored 0–5 with higher scores indicating greater difficulty)

1.38 (1.19)

1.18 (1.06)

IBS-QoL (Multi-item scale with greater scores indicating better quality of life)

Dysphoria

66.69 (27.72)

72.94 (23.49)

Activity interference

73.02 (23.06)

73.73 (21.12)

Body image

58.03 (26.07)

60.85 (23.60)

Health worry

56.77 (26.13)

64.65 (24.66)

Food avoidance

58.14 (28.53)

59.34 (30.55)

Social reaction

64.99 (26.08)

73.72 (24.34)

Sexual

75.43 (31.85)

77.75 (26.72)

Relationship

75.43 (24.06)

80.86 (20.25)

Total score

66.45 (22.49)

70.78 (20.08)