The serotonin receptor inhibitor alosetron effectively lessened the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in women, said Dr. Michael Camilleri of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and his associates.
Alosetron was given in a 1-mg dosage twice daily to 324 women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Another 323 women with IBS received placebo in a 12-week, randomized trial followed by a 4-week follow-up.
Significantly more of the women taking alosetron than placebo reported relief of abdominal pain, urgency and stool frequency during all 3 months of treatment (Lancet 355[9209]:1035-40, 2000).
Constipation developed in 30% of the women in the alosetron group, compared with 3% in the placebo group. Patients receiving alosetron in a clinical setting would be given laxatives, but their use was not permitted in this study.
The study was limited to people with either diarrhea-based IBS or mixed diarrhea and constipation. Preliminary data suggest the drug exacerbates constipation-based IBS by extending colonic transit time. Only women were included because preliminary data have shown alosetron to be more effective in women than men.
The investigators used a touch-tone telephone diary system for reporting daily data such as symptoms and stool frequency. The system accepted only one call from any given patient in a 24-hour period and notified investigators when a patient failed to call in data every day.
COPYRIGHT 2000 International Medical News Group
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group
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