A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of prucalopride in elderly patients with chronic constipation.

摘要

BACKGROUND: Constipation affects up to 50% of the elderly; this study evaluates the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of the selective 5-HT(4) agonist prucalopride in chronically constipated elderly patients. METHODS: Three hundred chronic constipation patients aged >or=65 years were randomized to prucalopride (1, 2, or 4 mg once daily) or placebo for 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients with >or=3 spontaneous complete bowel movements (SCBM) per week. Secondary endpoints included the percentage with an increase of >or=1 SCBM per week, BM frequency, constipation-related symptoms, quality of life (QoL), safety, and tolerability. KEY RESULTS: More patients achieved >or=3 SCBM per week with prucalopride than with placebo. This difference was largest and significant during the first week of 4 mg prucalopride (P or=1 SCBM per week from baseline vs placebo (e.g. 60% with 1 mg prucalopride vs 34% with placebo at week 4; P or=1 with 1 mg prucalopride than with placebo (P