Effects of adherence to the Mediterranean diet in children and adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome

Table 1 Demographic data and clinical characteristics in irritable bowel syndrome patients' groups before the start of the Mediterranean diet

Variable	Group I (Mediterranean diet) (n = 50)	Group II (n = 50)	P value
Age (yr)	15.50 ± 1.80	15.2 ± 1.5	0.881
Sex (M: F)	27:23	26:24	0.902
Height (z-score)	0.04 ± 1	0.04 ± 1.00	0.661
Weight (z-score)	0.14 ± 0.99	0.12 ± 0.89	0.831
BMI (z-score)	0.18 ± 0.88	0.17 ± 1.02	0.771
IBS subtypes			0.472
IBS-C	22 (44 %)	21 (42 %)
IBS-D	20 (40 %)	21 (42 %)
IBS-M	4 (8 %)	5 (10 %)
IBS-U	2 (4 %)	3 (6 %)
IBS severity			0.552
Mild	12 (24%)	14 (28 %)
Moderate	33 (66%)	31 (62 %)
Severe	5 (10%)	5 (10 %)
Duration of IBS symptoms (mo)	34.40 ± 9.10	35.30 ± 9.80	0.581
Treatment drugs3			0.661
Gastroprokinetic	50	50
Antidepressants	11	12
Antacids	18	20
Antibioticsprobiotics	924	723
IBS-SSS	237.20 ± 65	248.30 ± 71.10	0.681
IBS-QoL	57.30 ± 12.90	59.10 ± 11.70	0.711
Total score	24.10 ± 10.40	22.80 ± 13.50	0.821

¹Independent t-test.

²Chi-square test.

³Treatment drugs for one month before starting the study and during the whole study period.

BMI: Body mass index; IBS: Irritable bowel syndrome; IBS-C: IBS constipation; IBS-D: IBS diarrhea; IBS-M: IBS mixed; IBS-U: IBS unsubtyped; IBS-SSS: IBS symptoms severity score questionnaire; IBS-QoL: IBS quality of life questionnaire.

Table 2 Laboratory data of all patients at the start of the study

Variable	Group I (Mediterranean diet) (n = 50)	Group II (n = 50)	P value
Albumin (g/dL)	4.10 ± 0.90	4.30 ± 0.88	0.93
Triglycerides (mg/dL)	120.70 ± 45.60	112.90 ± 49.40	0.44
Cholesterol (mg/dL)	154.00 ± 36.60	163.60 ± 44.10	0.35
Glucose (mg/dL)	86.20 ± 20.20	85.70 ± 9.70	0.91
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	13.10 ± 1.60	13.60 ± 1.80	0.47
Fecal calprotectin (μg/g) n < 50	12 ± 9.10	11 ± 8.80	0.52

Table 3 Growth parameters, laboratory data, and irritable bowel syndrome scores in all patients at the start versus at the end of the study

Variables		Group I (Mediterranean diet) (n = 50)			Group II (n = 50)			P value1
		Start	End	P value	Start	End	P value
Growthparameters	Height (z-score)	0.04 ± 1	0.04 ± 0.92	0.88	0.04 ± 1.00	0.04 ± 0.99	0.63	0.18
	Weight (z-score)	0.14 ± 0.99	0.13 ± 1.0	0.54	0.12 ± 0.89	0.12 ± 0.55	0.61	0.36
	BMI (z-score)	0.18 ± 0.88	0.17 ± 0.69	0.6	0.17 ± 1.02	0.16 ± 1.08	0.80	0.55
Laboratory data	Albumin (g/dL)	4.10 ± 0.90	4.3 ± 0.94	0.77	4.30 ± 0.88	4.50 ± 0.91	0.49	0.54
	Triglycerides (mg/dL)	120.7 0 ± 45.60	118.50 ± 47.10	0.90	112.90 ± 49.40	115.20 ± 50.40	0.51	0.65
	Cholesterol (mg/dL)	154 ± 36.60	155.80 ± 32.20	0.56	163.60 ± 44.1	168.10 ± 42.90	0.63	0.28
	Glucose (mg/dL)	86.2 ± 20.20	81.90 ± 24.50	0.27	85.7 ± 9.7	87.30 ± 11.20	0.28	0.73
	Hemoglobin (g/dL)	13.1 ± 1.60	14.00 ± 1.10	0.66	13.60 ± 1.80	13.20 ± 1.50	0.71	0.33
	Fecal calprotectin (μg/g) n < 50	12 ± 9.10	11.30 ± 9.90	0.81	11 ± 8.80	10.80 ± 9.20	0.88	0.62
IBS scores	IBS-SSS	237.20 ± 65	163.20 ± 33.80	0.0011	248.3 ± 71.1	228.50 ± 54.30	0.29	< 0.0011
	IBS-QoL	57.30 ± 12.9	72.40 ± 11.2	<0.0011	59.1 ± 11.7	59.20 ± 12.70	0.77	< 0.0011
	Total score	24.10 ± 10.4	28.80 ± 11.20	0.021	22.8 ± 13.50	22.10 ± 12.50	0.94	0.031

¹P value is for group I vs group II at the end of the study.

BMI: Body mass index; IBS: Irritable bowel syndrome; IBS-SSS: IBS symptoms severity score questionnaire; IBS-QoL: IBS quality of life questionnaire.