Antibiotic helps patients with irritable bowels
A rifamycin-derived antibiotic improves abdominal bloating and flatulence in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to a recent study (American Journal of Gastroenterology 2006;101:326).
Over 120 patients with abdominal symptoms participated in three consecutive
10-day phases: baseline observation; randomisation to receive either
rifaximin 400mg twice a day or placebo; and post-treatment observation.
IBS diagnostic markers were met for 58.7 per cent of subjects in the
treatment arm and 54.1 per cent of those taking placebo.
Rifaximin is active against enteric bacteria, including anaerobes, and
has no systemic side effects due to its lack of oral bioavailability.
At the end of the 10-day treatment phase, 41.3 per cent of patients taking
rifaximin experienced significant relief compared with 22.9 per cent
of those not taking the drug (P=0.03). Improvement was maintained at
the end of the follow-up phase in 28.6 per cent of rifaximin-treated
subjects versus 11.5 per cent of untreated subjects (P=0.02).
Among patients fitting the criteria for IBS, 40.5 per cent of those on
active treatment saw a favourable response versus 18.2 per cent of those
on placebo (P=0.04).
The investigators suggest the need for further trials to examine the
usefulness of rifaximin in long-term or cyclic treatment regimens in
this study population. |
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