Fibre v control in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) at 3–52 weeks*
| Outcomes | Type of fibre (number of studies) | Weighted event rates | RBI (95% CI) | NNT (CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *RBR = relative benefit reduction. Other abbreviations defined in glossary; RBI, RBR, NNT, NNH, and CI calculated from data in article. | ||||
| Global IBS symptom improvement | All (12) | 61% v 45% | 33% (19 to 50) | 7 (5 to 10) |
| Soluble (8) | 64% v 42% | 55% (35 to 78) | 5 (4 to 7) | |
| RBR (CI) | NNH (CI) | |||
| Insoluble (4) | 50% v 56% | 11% (−1 to 28) | Not significant | |
| IBS related abdominal pain improvement | All (9) | 33% v 43% | 22% (5 to 36) | 11 (7 to 39) |
| Soluble (3) | 29% v 43% | 33% (5 to 53) | 8 (4 to 34) | |
| Insoluble (6) | 36% v 43% | 13% (−8 to 31) | Not significant | |
| RBI (CI) | NNT (CI) | |||
| IBS related constipation improvement | All (8) | 39% v 25% | 56% (21 to 102) | 8 (5 to 15) |
| Soluble (2) | 42% v 25% | 60% (6 to 142) | 6 (4 to 20) | |
| Insoluble (6) | 37% v 25% | 54% (10 to 114) | 9 (5 to 32) | |