A Phase 3, International, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-group Efficacy and Safety Trial of Linaclotide Administered Orally for 12 Weeks to Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Constipation (IBS-C)

12-week Abdominal Pain/Abdominal Discomfort Weekly Responder

Time frame · Baseline and Weeks 1-12 during the Treatment Period

A 12-week Abdominal Pain/Abdominal Discomfort Responder is a patient who meets the Abdominal Pain/Abdominal Discomfort Weekly Responder criteria (i.e., an improvement of ≥30% from baseline in either the mean abdominal pain score or mean abdominal discomfort score for that week, with neither score worsening from baseline for that week) for at least 6 out of the 12 weeks of the Treatment Period. Abdominal pain at its worst (in the last 24 hours) was assessed daily by patients on an 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS) where 0 represents no abdominal pain and 10 represents very severe abdominal pain. Abdominal discomfort (in the last 24 hours) was assessed daily by patients on an 11-point NRS where 0 represents no abdominal discomfort and 10 represents very severe abdominal discomfort.

12-week Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Degree of Relief Responder

Time frame · Baseline and Weeks 1-12 during the Treatment Period

A 12-week IBS Degree of Relief Responder is a patient who meets the IBS Degree of Relief Weekly Responder criteria (i.e., response to the degree of relief of IBS symptoms question for that week was "Considerably relieved" or "Completely relieved") for at least 6 out of the 12 weeks of the Treatment Period. Degree of relief of IBS symptoms (in the last 7 days) was assessed weekly by patients on a 7-point balanced ordinal scale where 1 = Completely relieved, 4 = Unchanged, and 7 = As bad as I can imagine.

Change From Baseline in 12-week Complete Spontaneous Bowel Movement Frequency Rate

Time frame · Baseline and 12-week Treatment Period

The change from baseline in 12-week CSBM frequency (i.e., average weekly CSBM frequency over the 12 weeks of the Treatment Period). A spontaneous bowel movement (SBM) is defined as a bowel movement without laxative use in the preceding 24 hours. A CSBM is defined as an SBM that is associated with a sense of complete evacuation.

Change From Baseline in 12-week Spontaneous Bowel Movement Frequency Rate

Time frame · Baseline and 12-week Treatment Period

The change from baseline in 12-week SBM frequency (i.e., average weekly SBM frequency over the 12 weeks of the Treatment Period). SBM is defined as a bowel movement without laxative use in the preceding 24 hours.

Change From Baseline in 12-week Stool Consistency

Time frame · Baseline and 12-week Treatment Period

The change from baseline in 12-week stool consistency (i.e., the average of the non-missing Bristol Stool Form Scale \[BSFS\] score from the SBMs occurring during the 12-week Treatment Period). Consistency of each bowel movement was assessed daily by patients using the 7-point BSFS (1=Separate hard lumps like nuts \[difficult to pass\] to 7=Watery, no solid pieces \[entirely liquid\]).

Change From Baseline in 12-week Severity of Straining

Time frame · Baseline and 12-week Treatment Period

The change from baseline in 12-week severity of straining (i.e., the average of the non-missing straining scores from the SBMs occurring during the 12-week Treatment Period). Severity of straining was assessed daily by patients on a 5-point ordinal scale (1=Not at all to 5=An extreme amount).

Change From Baseline in 12-week Abdominal Bloating

Time frame · Baseline and 12-week Treatment Period

The change from baseline in 12-week abdominal bloating (i.e., the average of the non-missing daily abdominal bloating scores reported during the 12-week Treatment Period). Abdominal bloating (in the last 24 hours) was assessed daily by patients on an 11-point NRS where 0 represents no abdominal bloating and 10 represents very severe abdominal bloating.

Change From Baseline in 12-week Abdominal Pain

Time frame · Baseline and 12-week Treatment Period

The change from baseline in 12-week abdominal pain (i.e., the average of the non-missing daily abdominal pain scores reported during the 12-week Treatment Period). Abdominal pain at its worst (in the last 24 hours) was assessed daily by patients on an 11-point NRS where 0 represents no abdominal pain and 10 represents very severe abdominal pain.

Change From Baseline in 12-week Abdominal Discomfort

Time frame · Baseline and 12-week Treatment Period

The change from baseline in 12-week abdominal discomfort (i.e., the average of the non-missing daily abdominal discomfort scores reported during the 12-week Treatment Period). Abdominal discomfort (in the last 24 hours) was assessed daily by patients on an 11-point NRS where 0 represents no abdominal discomfort and 10 represents very severe abdominal discomfort.