OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the role of food intolerance in irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea (D-IBS). METHODS: Specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against 14 common food antigens in the serum were measured in 77 patients with D-IBS and 26 healthy controls. Food-specific IgG antibodies were identified in 39 (50.65%) patients with D-IBS patients compared with four (15.38%) controls. For 12 weeks following the serological testing, 35 patients with D-IBS and food intolerance consumed diets that excluded the identified food. Changes in the main symptoms of D-IBS were evaluated before treatment and regularly during treatment in these patients. RESULTS: After 4 weeks' dietary therapy, most symptoms of D-IBS had improved. By 12 weeks, all symptom scores had decreased significantly compared with the baseline scores. CONCLUSIONS: The 12-week specific-food exclusion diets resulted in significant improvements in abdominal pain (bloating level and frequency), diarrhoea frequency, abdominal distension, stool shape, general feelings of distress and total symptom score compared with baseline in patients with D-IBS.
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