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Colchicine is effective for short-term treatment of slow transit constipation: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial

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International Journal of Colorectal Disease Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Although colchicine has been tested in clinical trials for treatment of constipation, the index groups in those trials were composed of special patient groups with developmental neuromuscular defects or failed surgical management. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of colchicine in patients with refractory slow transit constipation.

Materials and methods

Sixty patients with chief complaint of chronic constipation due to slow transit consented to be included in the double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. These patients were randomly divided into two groups (each containing 30 patients) to receive either colchicine, 1 mg QD, (group A) or placebo (group B) for 2 months. At the end of the study, Knowles–Eccersly–Scot symptom (KESS, a valid technique to assist in the diagnosis and evaluation of symptoms in constipation) scores were compared between the case and control groups.

Results

The mean KESS score measured at the end of 2 months was 11.67 ± 3.91 for colchicine and 18.66 ± 3.72 for placebo group (p = 0.0001).

Conclusion

This trial shows that low-dose colchicine is effective in treatment of slow transit constipation.

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Acknowledgment

This study was funded in full by the research council of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The writing and initial data analyses were supported by Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gastroenterohepatology Research Center, Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, PO Box 71345-1744, Shiraz, Iran

    Seyed Alireza Taghavi, Sanaz Shabani, Asie Mehramiri, Ahad Eshraghian, Seyed Mohammad Hasan Kazemi, Maryam Moeini, Seyed Mohammad Kazem Hosseini-Asl, Mehdi Saberifiroozi, Mahvash Alizade-Naeeni & Amir Ahmad Mostaghni

Authors
  1. Seyed Alireza Taghavi
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  2. Sanaz Shabani
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  3. Asie Mehramiri
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  4. Ahad Eshraghian
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  5. Seyed Mohammad Hasan Kazemi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ahad Eshraghian.

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Taghavi, S.A., Shabani, S., Mehramiri, A. et al. Colchicine is effective for short-term treatment of slow transit constipation: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Int J Colorectal Dis 25, 389–394 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-009-0794-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-009-0794-z

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