Clinical effectiveness of adding probiotics to a low FODMAP diet: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study

Table 4 Comparison of visual analogue scale and irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity scale scores before and after treatment

		Group 1			Group 2
	Before treatment	After treatment	P value	Before treatment	After treatment	P value	P’ value
	mean ± SD	mean ± SD		mean ± SD	mean ± SD
VAS	4.6 ± 2.7	2.0 ± 1.9	< 0.001	4.7 ± 2.7	1.8 ± 2.0	< 0.001	0.754
IBS-SSS	310.0 ± 78.4	172.0 ± 93.0	< 0.001	317.0 ± 87.5	175.0 ± 97.7	< 0.001	0.610
Pain severity	49.4 ± 24.1	24.4 ± 20.8	< 0.001	46.4 ± 23.1	22.6 ± 19.8	< 0.001	0.616
Abdominal pain severity	52.9 ± 23.9	26.7 ± 21.4	< 0.001	53.6 ± 25.0	28.6 ± 23.1	< 0.001	0.843
Abdominal distention severity	65.1 ± 25.1	34.3 ± 25.0	< 0.001	68.5 ± 23.5	33.9 ± 24.0	< 0.001	0.660
Satisfaction with intestinal habits	70.9 ± 24.9	41.6 ± 33.3	< 0.001	73.5 ± 27.2	43.4 ± 31.6	< 0.001	0.559
IBS quality of life	74.8 ± 22.1	44.6 ± 26.1	< 0.001	75.0 ± 22.4	46.5 ± 23.3	< 0.001	0.957

P’: Comparison between both groups before treatment. Group 1: Low fermentable oligo, di- and monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diet + probiotic, Group 2: low fermentable oligo, di- and monosaccharides and polyols diet + placebo. VAS: Visual analogue scale; IBS-SSS: Irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity scale; IBS: Irritable bowel syndrome; SD: Standard deviation.