LACTITOL(R) AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO HARSH (IRRITANT) LAXATIVES - AN EXPLORATORY, OPEN PILOT-STUDY IN CHRONIC FUNCTIONAL CONSTIPATION

Ten patients suffering from chronic functional constipation, for which they had been accustomed to taking harsh laxatives, were enrolled int o a clinical trial aiming to show that lactitol is able to replace ha rsh laxatives safely and without loss of efficacy. In an open, closely monitored trial, patients were initially treated for two weeks with t heir usual cathartics and then switched to lactitol at a starting dail y dosage of 40 g for four weeks. Fifteen patients were screened, 10 en tered the trial, 8 of whom completed the treatment while 2 dropped out prematurely. The results show that lactitol allowed patients to achie ve a bowel movement frequency which was significantly better than that achieved with one or more stimulant laxatives (p=0.03), and that the average weekly number of << rescue >> additional laxative enemas/suppo sitories was significantly reduced (p = 0.02). The switch to lactitol was accompanied by an increase in untoward abdominal manifestations, c ausing 2 patients to drop out. Lactitol may represent an efficient and safe alternative to harsh laxatives.