Ehealth:Low FODMAP diet vs Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in irritable bowel syndrome

AIM:To investigate the effects of a low fermentable,oligosaccharides,disaccharides,monosaccharides and polyols diet(LFD)and the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG(LGG)in irritable bowel syndrome(IBS).METHODS:Randomised,unblinded controlled trial on the effect of 6-wk treatment with LFD,LGG or a normal Danish/Western diet(ND)in patients with IBS fulfilling Rome III diagnostic criteria,recruited betweenNovember 2009 and April 2013.Patients were required to complete on a weekly basis the IBS severity score system(IBS-SSS)and IBS quality of life(IBS-QOL)questionnaires in a specially developed IBS web selfmonitoring application.We investigated whether LFD or LGG could reduce IBS-SSS and improve QOL in IBS patients.RESULTS:One hundred twenty-three(median age 37years,range:18-74 years),90(73%)females were randomised:42 to LFD,41 to LGG and 40 to ND.A significant reduction in mean±SD of IBS-SSS from baseline to week 6 between LFD vs LGG vs ND was revealed:133±122 vs 68±107,133±122 vs 34±95,P<0.01.Adjusted changes of IBS-SSS for baseline covariates showed statistically significant reduction of IBS-SSS in LFD group compared to ND(IBS-SSS score75;95%CI:24-126,P<0.01),but not in LGG compared to ND(IBS-SSS score 32;95%CI:18-80,P=0.20).IBS-QOL was not altered significantly in any of the three groups:mean±SD in LFD 8±18 vs LGG 7±17,LFD 8±18 vs ND 0.1±15,P=0.13.CONCLUSION:LFD is efficacious for patients with IBS.