Are self-reported gastrointestinal symptoms among older adults associated with increased intestinal permeability and psychological distress?

Table 1 Data for all the descriptive parameters, displayed for all three groups of older adults, presented as median (IQR)

	General older adults^a n = 22 Age: 70 (67-72)^I	Senior orienteering athletes^b n = 27 Age: 68 (66-71)^I	Older adults with GI symptoms^c n = 24 Age: 73 (69-75)^I Age at onset of GI symptoms: 59 (47-65)^II	p-value^III
- Demographic data -
Female/Male	11/11	12/16	18/6
Recruitment method	Advertisement in local newspaper	Orienteering clubs within the Örebro County	Advertisement in local newspaper
Inclusion criteria	Age ≥ 65 yrs	Age ≥ 65 yrs Actively competing in orienteering	Age ≥ 65 yrs GSRS* diarrhoea/constipation^IIIscore ≥ 3
Exclusion criteria	Diagnosed GI disease Prescribed inflammatory regulating drugs	Diagnosed GI disease Prescribed inflammatory regulating drugs	Diagnosed GI disease Prescribed inflammatory regulating drugs
- Questionnaire data -
GSRS (total score)	1.5 (1.2 – 2)	1.3 (1.1 – 1.6)	2.6 (2.2 – 3.1)
Diarrhoea	1.3 (1 – 1.4)	1.3 (1 – 1.7)	3.3 (1.7 – 3.8)
Constipation	1.3 (1 -2.7)	1.3 (1 – 1.7)	3.3 (2 – 4.7)
Indigestion	1.9 (1.3 – 2.6)	1.5 (1.25 – 2)	3 (2.3 – 3.6)
Abdominal pain	1.3 (1 – 1.8)	1	2.3 (1.7 – 3.3)
Reflux	1 (1 – 1.5)	1	1.5 (1 – 2.5)
HADS* (total score)	4 (1.5 – 6)	1 (0 – 3)	5 (2.5 – 10.5)	< 0.05^{ab, bc}
FGAS*	4 (3-4)	4 (4-5)	4 (3-4)
- Biomarker data -
CRP (mg/L)	0.5 (0.2 – 1.4)	0.9 (0.2 – 1.3)	1.3 (0.7 – 2.2)
H₂O₂ mmol/L	2 (1.7 – 2.2)	2 (1.7 – 2.4)	2.1 (1.8 – 2.5)
Calprotectin (μg/g)	0 (0 – 35.9)	0 (0 – 102.5)	0 (0 – 65)

-CRP levels < 2 are considered normal
- Calprotectin levels ≤ 50 μg/g are considered normal
- H₂O₂ mmol/L < 1.75 indicates no oxidative stress
- H₂O₂ mmol/L 1.75-2.35 indicates intermediate oxidative stress
- H₂O₂ mmol/L between 2.36-3.05 indicates oxidative stress
- H₂O₂ mmol/L 3.05 < indicates strong oxidative stress
* Abbreviations, GSRS: Gastrointestinal symptoms rating scale, FGAS: Frändin-Grimby Activity Scale, HADS: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, a cut-off score of ≥8 for either subscale indicates a significant level of depression/anxiety
a = General population of older adults
b = Senior orienteering athletes
c = Older adults with GI symptoms
I: age is presented with median and interquartile range (IQR)
II: median age at onset of GI symptoms (IQR)
III: p-value generated from pair-wise comparisons using the Mann-Whitney U-test

ISSN: 1471-2318