I.31, a new combination of probiotics, improves irritable bowel syndrome-related quality of life

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the subjects recruited

	High dose (n = 28)	Low dose (n = 27)	Placebo (n = 29)	P value
Age (yr)	47.5 ± 13.1	46.3 ± 11.6	46.5 ± 13.1	NS
Male/female	9/19	7/20	15/14	NS
BMI	24.7 ± 3.9	25.6 ± 5.1	26.4 ± 5.2	NS
IBSQoL	54.2 ± 16.1	50.6 ± 12.0	54.6 ± 18.5	NS
VSI	43.0 ± 13.5	45.5 ± 11.0	41.2 ± 15.3	NS
Glucose (mg/dL)	95.1 ± 13.8	91.9 ± 27.9	95.1 ± 14.5	NS
Cholesterol (mg/dL)	200.6 ± 39.6	200.0 ± 34.2	205.1 ± 30.5	NS
LDL (mg/dL)	113.0 ± 45.3	102.0 ± 45.6	108.2 ± 50.2	NS
HDL (mg/dL)	56.6 ± 35.9	76.0 ± 39.7	72.2 ± 45.5	NS
Creatinine (mg/dL)	0.79 ± 0.14	0.86 ± 0.12	0.83 ± 0.18	NS
GGT (IU/L)	18.1 ± 10.8	19.0 ± 9.9	22.1 ± 15.6	NS
GOT (IU/L)	19.6 ± 7.9	20.3 ± 9.5	18.3 ± 4.1	NS
GPT (IU/L)	21.4 ± 13.4	17.9 ± 6.6	20.1 ± 10.6	NS

BMI: Body mass index; IBSQoL: Irritable bowel syndrome-related quality of life; VSI: Visceral Sensitivity Index; LDL: Low density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL: High density lipoprotein; GGT: Gamma glutamyl aminotransferase; GOT: G glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase; GPT: Glutamic-pyruvic transaminase.