MISOPROSTOL IS EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS WITH SEVERE CHRONIC CONSTIPATION

To assess the efficacy of misoprostol in the treatment of patients wit h severe chronic constipation, nine such patients were enrolled in a d ouble-blind, randomized, crossover study of misoprostol (1200 mu g/day ) or placebo, that lasted three weeks. During this period each patient received the drug for one week and placebo for another with a week wa shout period in between. A colonic transit study, using radiopaque mar kers, was performed during each of the treatment weeks, while the numb er of stools and their total weight was recorded by each patient for t he appropriate periods. Colonic transit time was significantly and con sistently decreased by misoprostal compared to placebo [66 hr +/- 10.2 vs 109.4 hr +/- 8.1 (P = 0.0005)]. Misoprostrol significantly increas ed the total stool weight per week [976.5 g +/- 288.8 vs 434.6 g +/- 1 90.5 (P = 0.001)] and also significantly increased the number of stool s per week compared to placebo [6.5 +/- 1.3 vs 2.5 +/- 0.11 (P = 0.01) ]. The incidence of abdominal pain was similar in both groups. We conc luded that misoprostol, during a short trial period proved effective i n increasing the frequency and weight of bowel movements and decreasin g colonic transit time in patients with severe chronic constipation. I t may be used as a therapeutic measure to treat such patients.