Impact of symptom severity in patients with diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D): results from two separate surveys of HCPs and patients with IBS-D

Table 3 Medication use by IBS-D severity

N (%)	Mild IBS-D (n = 124)	Moderate IBS-D (n = 158)	Severe IBS-D (n = 193)
Types of medication used over the past 12 months^a
Antidiarrhoeal	94 (76)	124 (78)	167 (87)*^†
Antispasmodic	71 (57)	99 (63)	112 (58)
Analgesic	17 (14)	27 (17)	33 (17)
Codeine-based painkiller	18 (15)	28 (18)	43 (22)
Antidepressant	14 (11)	25 (16)	38 (20)*
Other	9 (7)	11 (7)	15 (8)
Current medication use^b
OTC medication only	59 (48)	66 (42)	75 (39)
Prescription and OTC medication	30 (24)	46 (29)	69 (36)*
Prescription medication only	35 (28)	46 (29)	49 (25)

*p < 0.05 vs patients with mild IBS-D; ^†p < 0.05 vs patients with moderate IBS-D.
^aBased on responses to the question: ‘Which of the following have you taken in the past 12 months for your IBS?’
^bBased on responses to the question: ‘Do you take either of the following to help manage your IBS?’
IBS irritable bowel syndrome; IBS-D diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome; OTC over-the-counter

ISSN: 1471-230X