EFFECT OF PSYLLIUM SEEDS COMPARED TO WHEA T BRAN ON STOOL FREQUENCY AND COMPLAINTS IN PATIENTS WITH IRRITABLE-BOWEL-SYNDROME AND CONSTIPATION

Background and aim: The importance of dietary fibres in treatment of i rritable bowel syndrome increased during the last years. Yet the resul ts of clinical studies on the different dietary fibres are not consist ant. Therefore we decided to perform a controlled trial with a well. d efined group of patients to compare the effectiveness of wheat bran to psyllium seeds. Patients and Methods: Thirty patients each with irrit able bowel syndrome group II to III were treated in an open, not contr olled study design either with 3 times 3.25 g psylium seeds or 3 times 7 g wheat bran daily. All patients entering the study had not been tr eated for at least 3 weeks before. The study comprised two treatment p hases of two weeks each, separated by two weeks without any treatment, thus leading to a study duration of 6 weeks altogether. Parameters fo r evaluation were stool frequency and consistancy and the symptoms pai n and abdominal distention, measured by a score (1 to 4). Results: In both treatments groups stool frequency and consistancy improved appara ntly compared to the starting point or the two weeks treatment free ti me in between. The improvement of stool frequency was statistically si gnificant (p < 0.0001) for both substances. Furthermore the effect of psyllium seeds exceeded that of wheat bran statistically significant i n week 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 (p < 0.005). Other symptoms such as abdominal pain improved too by therapy, psyllium seeds again tending to show bet ter results. A significant difference between both substances could be observed on the symptom abdominal distension. Whereas abdominal diste nsion decreased under treatment with psyllium seeds it increased with wheat bran. This lead to discontinuation of the study in 5 cases, 3 of which could be changed successfully to psyllium seeds. The difference between psyllium seeds and wheat bran concerning the occurence of abd ominal distension was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Conclusion : The results of this study demonstrate the effectiveness of psyllium seeds and wheat bran on stool frequency and consistency of patients wi th irritable bowel syndrome. Psyllium seeds showed to be superior to w heat bran with respect to stool frequency and abdominal distension so that it should be preferred in treatment of irritable bowel syndrome a nd constipation.