Linaclotide provides significantly greater relief than lactulose for the overlapping symptoms of functional dyspepsia and constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.
In a randomized controlled trial, linaclotide markedly outperformed lactulose in improving both upper and lower gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in patients suffering from overlapping functional dyspepsia (FD) and constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C).
Investigators sought to compare the efficacy of linaclotide (guanylate cyclase-C agonist) and lactulose (commonly used osmotic laxative) in relieving the combined symptom burden of FD and IBS-C. In this 4-week trial, 78 patients diagnosed with both FD and IBS-C were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive either:
The primary endpoint was overall treatment satisfaction, specifically relief of GI symptoms. Secondary endpoints included alteration in symptom scores related to both FD and IBS-C, as well as assessments of psychological well-being. Out of the 78 participants, 71 patients completed the study—47 in the linaclotide group and 24 in the lactulose group.
Key findings included:
Thus, linaclotide not only addresses constipation-related symptoms but also offers effective relief from upper GI complaints typically linked with FD. This dual benefit makes it a promising choice for patients presenting with overlapping symptoms of FD and IBS-C.
Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Efficacy of Linaclotide in Functional Dyspepsia and Constipation-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome Overlap: A Randomized Trial
Li Cheng et al.
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