uccessful Clinical Trial for Chronic Constipation

Linaclotide, a drug being studied at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, has been showed to greatly improve bowel movements in patients with chronic constipation. The new drug resulted in more spontaneous bowel movement and less straining in 307 patients who all demonstrated difficulty with bowel movements. They were 92% female and 84% white, and 26 were older than 65. Patients took different doses of active medicine or a placebo once a day for four weeks. Results were seen in the first week, and positive changes in stool frequency continued throughout the study. The adverse effects, including diarrhea, were common even in the placebo group. However, the diarrhea stopped once the drug was stopped. Researchers hope to begin the next phase of trials in late 2008. Medpage Today, 5/27/08
2008-05-29 04:33:25