Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Clinical Characteristics, Psychological Factors, and Peripheral Cytokines

Table 3

General characteristics of the small intestinal bacterial overgrowth- (SIBO-) positive and negative patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Variables	Levels	SIBO (+); ()	SIBO (−); ()	p value
Age, years	Mean ± SD	43.5 ± 12.5	47.2 ± 13.1	0.187
Sex, n (%)	Male	21 (60.0%)	26 (48.1%)
	Female	14 (40.0%)	28 (51.9%)	0.274
BMI, kg/m^2	Mean ± SD	23.2 ± 7.7	21.4 ± 4.0	0.139
Marital status, n (%)	Married	29 (82.9%)	52 (96.3%)
	Single	6 (17.1%)	2 (3.7%)	0.030
Education, n (%)	≤Primary	8 (22.9%)	11 (20.4%)
	Middle school	10 (28.6%)	19 (35.2%)
	High school	9 (25.7%)	15 (27.8%)	0.848
	≥College	8 (22.9%)	9 (16.7%)
Average family income, n (%)	<1000	3 (8.6%)	2 (3.7%)
	≥1000	18 (51.4%)	35 (64.8%)	0.470
	≥5000	10 (28.6%)	10 (18.5%)
	≥10000	4 (11.4%)	7 (13.0%)
Job, n (%)	Office work	4 (11.4%)	6 (11.1%)
	Physical work	22 (62.9%)	36 (66.7%)	0.924
	Housework	9 (25.7%)	12 (22.2%)
Cigarette smoking, n (%)	Never	24 (68.6%)	44 (81.5%)
	≥1	7 (20.0%)	7 (13.0%)	0.520
	≥10	2 (5.7%)	1 (1.9%)
	≥20	2 (5.7%)	2 (3.7%)
Alcohol drinking, n (%)	Never	16 (45.7%)	25 (46.3%)
	Sometimes	17 (48.6%)	26 (26.1%)	0.840
	Often	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)
	Always	2 (5.7%)	2 (3.7%)
Medical history, n (%)	No	27 (77.1%)	39 (72.2%)	0.604
	Yes	8 (22.9%)	15 (27.8%)