Multistrain probiotics alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms during bismuth quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection

Table 2 Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale total and dimensional scores of study participants before and after intervention, mean ± SD

Variables	Intervention group (n = 89)	Placebo-controlled group (n = 85)	Z	P value
Baseline
Reflux syndrome	3.87 ± 2.13	3.09 ± 1.43	-2.606	0.009b
Abdominal pain syndrome	2.76 ± 2.91	2.44 ± 2.94	-0.999	0.318
Dyspepsia	5.78 ± 4.61	4.79 ± 3.71	-1.232	0.218
Diarrhea	3.76 ± 3.78	3.13 ± 3.02	-0.876	0.381
Constipation	2.75 ± 3.50	2.56 ± 3.34	-0.370	0.711
GSRS total score	18.67 ± 12.75	16.25 ± 10.43	-1.094	0.274
After 4 weeks of intervention
Reflux syndrome	0.55 ± 1.11	0.42 ± 1.43	-0.896	0.370
Abdominal pain syndrome	0.60 ± 0.98	0.68 ± 1.51	-1.283	0.196
Dyspepsia	1.71 ± 1.94	2.05 ± 2.86	-0.362	0.717
Diarrhea	0.90 ± 1.07	1.44 ± 1.80	-1.396	0.163
Constipation	0.88 ± 1.49	1.32 ± 2.15	-1.027	0.304
GSRS total score	4.64 ± 4.36	5.90 ± 7.05	-0.351	0.726
After 8 weeks of intervention
Reflux syndrome	0.34 ± 1.21	0.33 ± 1.32	-0.044	0.965
Abdominal pain syndrome	0.54 ± 1.13	0.74 ± 1.47	-0.220	0.826
Dyspepsia	1.41 ± 1.81	1.97 ± 2.55	-1.308	0.191
Diarrhea	0.85 ± 1.09	1.12 ± 1.74	-0.009	0.314
Constipation	0.80 ± 1.38	1.05 ± 1.58	-1.027	0.304
GSRS total score	3.94 ± 4.45	5.22 ± 6.26	-1.096	0.273

^bP ≤ 0.01.

Reflux syndrome: Acid reflux, heartburn; Abdominal pain syndrome: Abdominal pain, hunger pain, nausea and vomiting; Dyspepsia: Bowel sounds, bloating, intestinal flatulence, hiccups/belching; Diarrhea syndrome: Diarrhea, loose stools, the feeling of urgency to defecate; Constipation syndrome: Constipation, hardened stools, feeling of incomplete defecation; GSRS total score: The sum of the scores of the 5 dimensions, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms.