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PubMed2004

A blinded laxative taper for patients with eating disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a blinded laxative taper, supervised entirely by pharmacists, in eating disorder patients with laxative dependency. METHODS: All subjects received a blinded laxative taper according to a set protocol, in addition to the usual treatment for their eating disorder. No specific treatment was given for laxative dependency other than the pharmacist's supervisions of the blinded taper. RESULTS: Ten patients were enrolled, of whom seven completed the study. Five of the seven patients (71%) decreased their laxative intake by at least 50%. Of these seven patients, three withdraw completely from laxative use. DISCUSSION: A standardized blinded laxative taper shows promise as a treatment option for laxative dependency in patients with eating disorders. The laxative taper may be less costly and more available than inpatient or psychologically based treatment because it can be given on an outpatient basis under the supervision of a pharmacist.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Factors related to renal dysfunction in patients with anorexia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: Anorexia nervosa (AN) patients were surveyed to determine which disease factors were related to AN influenced renal dysfunction. METHODS: Data were from forty-five AN patients hospitalized in our department between 1995 and 2002. The patients were classified into three groups based on the type of anorexia: restricting (n=18), self-induced vomiting (n=13), and laxative abuse (n=14). Twenty-four hour-creatinine clearance (Ccr) was calculated within two weeks of hospitalization for comparison among the three groups. RESULTS: The Ccr level of the laxative abuse group was significantly lower than that of the restricting group (65.8+/-31.4 ml/min vs restricting type: 104+/-23.3 ml/min, p=0.002). The laxative abuse group had a significantly longer duration of illness than the restricting group (p<0.0001). Multiple regression analysis revealed the duration of illness to be a risk factor for renal function deterioration in AN patients (r=0.580, p<0.001). DISCUSSION: Renal function should be carefully followed during the treatment of AN patients with a long duration of illness, especially those with long-term laxative abuse.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Pseudohyperaldosteronism from liquorice-containing laxatives.

Four cases of pseudohyperaldosteronism due to chronic ingestion of liquorice-containing laxatives are described. All patients had hypertension and hypokalemia with suppression of plasma renin activity and aldosterone; the diagnosis was based only on retrospective grounds. In patients with hypokalemia and hypertension a possibility of such a cause must be excluded to avoid unnecessary diagnostic procedures.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Treament of morphine-induced constipation with oral naloxone].

INTRODUCTION: Almost all patients treated with opioids suffer from constipation. Numerous laxatives are used to overcome the problem, but none has yet been found to yield favourable results in all patients. Several studies have attempted to reverse opioid-induced constipation by the use of oral naloxone. Experiments carried out in rats showed that morphine-induced constipation is reduced by oral naloxone without impairment of antinociception [4]. However, evaluation of clinical studies reveals that there is uncertainty about the dosage regimen (the daily dose of naloxone ranged from 0.5% to about 60% that of morphine) and a lack of larger numbers of patients studied. METHODS: Fifteen patients suffering from opioid-induced constipation participated in the present study. Constipation had been present for 5 to 14 days despite the use of laxatives. According to the results obtained in the animal experiments [4], it was originally planned to administer oral naloxone at a dose ratio of 1:1 with respect to morphine on day 1 and 2; reducing it on day 3 and 4 to one-half and then to one-fourth of the initial dose on day 5 and 6. RESULTS: Twelve patients experienced a strong laxative effect with spontaneous bowel evacuation 1 to 4 h after the first intake of oral naloxone. Three patients had no laxative effects even after repeated doses. Eleven of the 15 patients reported an average loss of 10%-15% of analgesia after oral naloxone as measured by visual analogue scales. Increasing the morphine dose by about 15% restored the previous level of analgesia without reappearance of constipation. Eight of the 12 patients having a laxative effect experienced abdominal cramps, and therefore, the total dose of naloxone was reduced on day 2 to 2%-15% of that originally planned; this dose still produced a laxative effect. Four of the 15 patients had a withdrawal syndrome. A single dose of morphine equivalent to their daily morphine intake abolished the symptoms. DISCUSSION: The medical history of the 3 patients in whom naloxone failed to abolish constipation revealed neurological disturbances. Treatment of these patients included the use of neuroleptics, antiemetics, and other drugs. In this context, it should be noted that oral naloxone can be expected to abolish only opioid-induced constipation. In conclusion, it was found that the treatment of opioid-induced constipation by administration of oral naloxone produced positive results. A controlled study will show, whether the side effects can be minimized by reducing the naloxone dose.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

[Therapeutic options of chronic constipation].

Chronic constipation is a widespread disease affecting up to 25 percent of the population in western countries. The symptoms associated with constipation may lead to a heavy burden and a decrease in quality of life. The therapy of chronic constipation is based upon its type and severity. Patients with normal transit may benefit from lifestyle measures including dietetic advice. However, almost none of these measures has been validated in a controlled trial. Bulk forming laxatives such as psyllium seeds and probiotics have a moderate evidence (Grade B). In certain cases, the use of osmotic laxatives, e. g. polyethylene glycol solutions (Grade A), is necessary. Tegaserod, a selective agonist of the serotonine subtype 4 (5-HT(4)), has a good evidence to treat constipation (Grade A). Patients with slow-transit constipation (transit-time over 72 hours) are dependent on osmotic (polyethylene glycol solutions, Grade A) and stimulant laxatives (bisacodyl, Grade C). Patients who suffer from defecatory disorders (outlet constipation) should be treated with bulk forming laxatives (Grade B) together with suppositories (e. g. CO(2)-suppositories) and enemas.

Cathartics↗
PubMed2004

A 13-week oral toxicity study of senna in the rat with an 8-week recovery period.

Senna was administered by gavage to Sprague Dawley rats once daily at dose levels of 0, 100, 300, 750 or 1500 mg/kg for up to 13 consecutive weeks followed by an 8-week recovery period for selected animals. Dose- and treatment-related clinical signs included abnormal feces, which were seen to varying degrees from animals at 300 mg/kg per day and more. Animals receiving 750 or 1500 mg/kg per day had significantly reduced body weight gain (males only) and, related to the laxative properties of senna, increased water consumption and notable changes in electrolytes in both serum and urine. At both the terminal and recovery phase necropsy, an increase in absolute and relative kidney weights was seen for male and female animals receiving 750 and/or 1500 mg/kg per day. A dark discoloration of the kidneys was observed at necropsy along with histopathological changes in the kidneys (slight to moderate tubular basophilia and pigment deposits) at 300 mg/kg and above. However, there were no indications in laboratory parameters of any renal dysfunction. In addition, for all treated groups, minimal to slight hyperplasia was recorded in the forestomach and large intestine. Following 8 weeks of recovery, with the exception of the brown pigment in the kidneys, there were no histopathological abnormalities. Thus, the biochemical and morphological changes seen following 13 weeks of treatment of senna significantly reversed following 8 weeks of recovery.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2005

An oral carcinogenicity and toxicity study of senna (Tinnevelly senna fruits) in the rat.

Senna (Tinnevelly senna fruits), a known laxative derived from plants, was administered by gavage to Sprague-Dawley (Crl:CD (SD) BR) rats once daily at dose levels of 0, 25, 100 and 300 mg/kg/day for up to 104 consecutive weeks. Based upon clinical signs related to the laxation effect of senna, the highest dose (300 mg/kg/day) was considered to be a maximum tolerated dose. Sixty animals per sex were assigned to the control and dose groups. Assessments included clinical chemistry, hematology, full histology (control and high-dose groups; in addition, low and mid dose: intestinal tract, adrenals, liver, kidneys, brain and gross lesions) and toxicokinetics. The primary treatment-related clinical observation was mucoid feces seen at 300 mg/kg/day. When compared to controls, animals administered 300 mg/kg/day had slightly reduced body weights, increased water consumption and notable changes in electrolytes in serum (increases in potassium and chloride) and urine (decreases in sodium, potassium and chloride). The changes in electrolytes are most likely physiologic adaptations to the laxative effect of senna. At necropsy, dark discoloration of the kidneys was observed in animals in all treated groups. Histological changes were seen in the kidneys of animals from all treated groups and included slight to moderate tubular basophilia and tubular pigment deposits. In addition, for all treated groups, minimal to slight hyperplasia was evident in the colon and cecum. These histological changes, together with the changes seen in the evaluation of clinical chemistry and urine parameters, have been shown to be reversible in a previous 13-week rat study of senna. No treatment-related neoplastic changes were observed in any of the examined organs. Based upon these data, it is concluded that senna is not carcinogenic even after daily administration for 2 years at dosages of up to 300 mg/kg/day in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2004

Laxative treatment elevates plasma homocysteine: a study on a population-based Swedish sample of old people.

OBJECTIVES: Elevated plasma homocysteine might indicate an increased risk of cancer, and cardiovascular and neurological diseases. The homocysteine level depends on the supply of folate and cobalamine, and constipation and/or laxative treatment might compromise this supply. The present study examined the impact of constipation and laxative treatment on the blood levels of homocysteine, folate and cobalamine in a population-based sample of aged people, including consideration of frailty and impaired renal function, both of which may also influence the homocysteine level. METHODS: The study was based on biochemical tests in 341 females and 183 males aged 82 years or older. The concentrations of homocysteine (plasma), folate, cobalamine and urea (serum) were measured in subjects with and without ongoing treatment with laxative drugs. Values were adjusted for age, gender and frailty, as well as for clinical diagnoses and drug therapies known to affect homocysteine levels. RESULTS: Homocysteine levels were increased and those of folate reduced in aged subjects on laxatives. Homocysteine remained elevated after adjusting for frailty and various neurological disorders. There was no significant effect on homocysteine and folate in constipated subjects without laxatives.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Drug utilisation in Dutch nursing homes.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify and evaluate drug utilisation in a sample of Dutch nursing homes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of computerised medication data of 2355 residents aged 65 years and over from six nursing homes in the Netherlands was performed. For each therapeutic drug group, the number of users was determined. The ten therapeutic groups used most frequently were investigated further. For these, patient characteristics, use of therapeutic subgroups, the average daily dosages and the chronicity of drug use were determined. Chronicity was expressed as the percentage of treatment days divided by the number of residents' days in the nursing home. RESULTS: During the study period, 89%, 77% and 56% of the study population used a drug from the anatomical therapeutic chemical (ATC) main group N (nervous system), A (alimentary tract and metabolism) and C (cardiovascular system), respectively. Eight of the ten therapeutic drug groups prescribed most frequently were used for more than 50% of the time. In particular, psycholeptic drugs, diuretics and laxatives were used chronically (83%, 81%, and 80% of the nursing home stay, respectively). Except for a few drug groups, such as laxatives and diuretics, the prescribed daily dosages were relatively low. Twenty-eight percent of the residents received loop diuretics; these were prescribed in relatively high dosages. CONCLUSION: Drug utilisation in the nursing homes was high and many drugs were used chronically. In view of the risk of possible adverse effects and drug-drug interactions, the prescribing and dosage of psycholeptic drugs, laxatives, loop diuretics and ulcer-healing drugs should be re-evaluated, carefully.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Use of laxatives in institutions for the mentally retarded.

OBJECTIVE: To study, in institutionalized mentally retarded patients, the prevalence of regular laxative use, and to identify its correlates. METHODS: Twenty-one of the 22 institutions for the mentally retarded in Flanders (Belgium) provided the setting for the study, which included a population of 3712 residents with an IQ of < 50. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of a random sample of 20 patients per institution, consisting of a structured interview of the personnel responsible for daily care of the selected patients. The study population consisted of 420 mentally retarded patients. Their median age was 29 years (range 2-72 years). Twenty-six percent of patients had an IQ of 35-49, 40% an IQ of 20-34 and 34% an IQ of <20. Sixteen percent of the patients were non-ambulant. RESULTS: Regular laxative use was found in 26.4% (111/420) of the residents. In addition, occasional laxative use was found in 2% (10/420) of the residents. Oral laxatives were used daily by 13% (56/420) and oral laxatives daily in combination with enemas were used by 9% (39/420). Enemas but no oral laxatives were used by 3% (11/420); manual evacuation in combination with oral laxatives and enemas was used by 1% (5/420). Seventy-eight percent (78/100) of the oral laxative users used them for more than 1 year. Seventy-one percent (71/100) used one laxative, 23% two and 6% three. Thirty different brands of oral laxatives were used. Sixty-seven percent (67/100) used osmotic laxatives alone or in combination, 30% used stimulant laxatives, 19% used bulk forming laxatives and 19% mineral oil. Oral laxatives were always prescribed by attending physicians, while enemas were also initiated by nurses in 35% (18/52). Laxative use was positively and independently correlated with female gender, with being non-ambulant, with oral motor dysfunction and with the use of medication other than laxatives. It did not correlate with age. Within the institutions, laxative use varied from one to 15 users out of the 20 randomly selected patients (median 4/20). CONCLUSION: Laxative use is frequent in institutions for the mentally retarded, with a large inter-institution variation, indicating that constipation is an important problem and underlining the need for research into cost-effective treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Salinity tolerances of selected macroinvertebrates of the Sabie River, Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Salinization has been identified as the most important problem facing the managers of South African freshwaters. Laboratory-based toxicity tests were conducted to assess the tolerance of selected macroinvertebrates to elevated salt concentrations. Since the Kruger National Park is the focus of river research in South Africa, and the Sabie River is the least mineralized river in the park, 96-h acute toxicity tests were conducted using Sabie River water and an ephemeropteran mayfly Tricorythus sp. found in the river. Experiments were conducted inflowing water systems known as raceways. The tolerance of the mayfly to two sodium salts, sodium chloride and sodium sulphate, was assessed at a range of selected conductivity levels/concentrations. The results indicated that mortality cannot be linked only to conductivity or total dissolved solid(TDS) concentrations, but also to the nature of the salt. Sodium sulphate was considerably more toxic to Tricorythus sp. than sodium chloride. Causes of mortality and implications for the development of water quality guidelines for the natural aquatic environment are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Anal endosonography in children with chronic constipation.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophy of the internal anal sphincter may be apparent in some children, but its significance has not yet been determined. OBJECTIVE: To assess anal endosonographic findings in children with chronic constipation. Materials and methods. We performed anal endosonography in 46 children with chronic constipation and compared the results with values considered normal. RESULTS: We did not find a significant relationship between age and thickness of the internal or external anal sphincters. The clinical response to medical management did not differ between patients with or without sphincter hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Although we did not find a significant correlation between sphincter hypertrophy and constipation or age, further studies may clarify its place amongst other techniques which are used in the investigation of anorectal pathology.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Randomized single blind trial of two low-volume bowel preparations for screening computed tomographic colonography.

BACKGROUND: Bowel preparation is an important part of computed tomographic colonography (CTC); we evaluated two small-volume preparations for screening CTC with regard to quality of preparation and patient acceptability. METHODS: Asymptomatic subjects at average risk for colorectal cancer from a community-based CTC screening program were randomized to bowel preparation comprising magnesium/bisacodyl/picolax or polyethylene glycol (PEG)/picolax. CTC images were evaluated by a blinded investigator for residual feces and fluid; subjects completed a questionnaire regarding acceptability of the preparation. RESULTS: In 176 subjects randomized to magnesium/bisacodyl/picolax (n = 82) or PEG/picolax (n = 94), the former preparation was discontinued because of syncope or presyncope in four (5%) subjects. Another 137 subjects received PEG/picolax without a significant adverse event. There were no other major differences in acceptability of the preparations as reported by subjects. The quality of bowel preparations for reporting CTC was similar. CONCLUSION: For subjects having screening CTC, both small-volume bowel preparations are generally well tolerated and result in minimal fluid and fecal residue; however, the magnesium/bisacodyl/picolax preparation was accompanied by an unacceptable incidence of syncope and is no longer used by us.

Bisacodyl↗
PubMed2006

Comparison of routine and unprepped CT colonography augmented by low fiber diet and stool tagging: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: We performed a pilot study examining the feasibility of a new unprepped CT colonography (CTC) strategy: low fiber diet and tagging (unprepped) vs. low fiber diet, tagging and a magnesium citrate cleansing preparation (prepped). Prior reports of tagging were limited in that the residual stool was neither measured and stratified by size nor did prior reports subjectively evaluate the ease of interpretation by a reader experienced in interpreting CTC examinations. METHODS: Prospective randomized to unprepped n = 14 and prepped n = 14. Colonic segments were subjectively evaluated for residual stool that would potentially interfere with interpretation. Scores were given in the following categories: percentage of residual stool that was touching or nearly touching mucosa, the largest piece of retained stool, effectiveness of tagging, height of residual fluid, degree of distention, ease of interpretation, and reading time. RESULTS: Ease of the CT read (scale where 4 = optimal read) averaged 1.3 for the unprepped group and 2.3 for the prepped group. The mean read time averaged 17.5 min for unprepped and 17.9 min for prepped. The degree of distention (scale where 4 = well distended) averaged 3.7 for unprepped and 3.6 for prepped. Supine and prone images combined, the unprepped group had 160 segments with stool; prepped group had 58 segments. The amount of stool covering the mucosa in all segments averaged 1.6 (33%-66% coverage) in the unprepped group and 0.35 (<33% mucosal coverage) in the prepped group. The mean size of the largest piece of stool was 33.67 mm for unprepped and 4.01 mm for prepped. Percentage of tagged stool was not significantly different between the groups (range of 94-98%). The height of residual fluid averaged 8.37 mm for unprepped and 13.4 mm for prepped. Three polyps in three patients were found during optical colonoscopy (OC) in the unprepped group (5, 6, and 10 mm), none of which were prospectively detected at CTC. Three polyps in three patients were detected during OC in the prepped group (5, 10, and 15 mm), two of which were prospectively detected at CTC. Two false-positive lesions were observed at CTC in one patient in the prepped group. CONCLUSION: There was more stool in the unprepped group and while this factor did not slow down the reading time, it made the examination subjectively harder to interpret and likely caused the three polyps in this group to be missed. We conclude that a truly unprepped strategy that leaves significant residual stool, even if well tagged, is not desirable.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Use of methylcellulose in small bowel follow-through examination: comparison with conventional series in normal subjects.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate and optimize a modified small bowel follow-through examination (SBFT) by using an oral administration of a large amount (600 mL) of methylcellulose after taking a small amount of barium. METHODS: Ninety-nine normal subjects underwent modified SBFT with an oral administration of 600 mL of 0.5% methylcellulose after taking 100 mL of 120% or 100, 150, or 200 mL of 70% w/v barium. The transradiancy and distensibility of the bowel and the transit time were compared with those of 39 other normal subjects who underwent conventional SBFT with 500 mL of 70% w/v barium. RESULTS: Except for two subjects who developed diarrhea immediately after examination, no patients complained of acute symptoms, such as abdominal pain or vomiting. Modified SBFT was much superior to conventional series for obtaining good bowel transradiancy and rapid transit time (range = 37-49 min), but bowel distention was not significantly improved. The use of 150 mL of 70% w/v barium was better than the other three modified techniques for achieving good bowel transradiancy, rapid transit time, and less occurrence of flocculation. CONCLUSION: Modified SBFT is a simple method for easily improving the image quality in terms of bowel transradiancy and transit time.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2005

What is the role of mechanical bowel preparation in patients with pilonidal sinus undergoing surgery? Prospective, randomized, surgeon-blinded trial.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a mechanical bowel preparation on postoperative surgical wound infections in patients treated with identical antimicrobial prophylaxis undergoing wide excision and primary closure for chronic pilonidal sinus disease. Patients more than 18 years old were included in the study. All patients had intravenous antimicrobial prophylaxis at the time of anesthesia induction. In a prospective, randomized setting, patients were allocated to either the bowel preparation group or the no-bowel-preparation group. Mechanical bowel preparation was performed using an oral sodium phosphate solution. On the morning of the procedure a rectal enema was performed with the phosphate solution. The primary outcome measure was the rate of wound infection, but all postoperative complications and recurrences were recorded. All patients were actively observed for 1 year after discharge. The overall infection rate for the entire study population was 12.8% (13/101) including 14.3% (7/49) of those who had had the bowel preparation and 11.5% (6/52) of those with no bowel preparation. There was no statistically significant difference between groups (P = 0.680). The mean rate of recurrence for all 101 patients was 4.9% (5/101) at 19.2 months (range 12-32 months) of follow-up. The recurrence rate was 6.1% (3/49) in the bowel preparation group and 3.8% (2/52) in the no-bowel-preparation group (P = 1.000). Although the number of patients is small in this study, our results showed that the mechanical bowel preparation does not cause a decrease in the rate of surgical wound infections after excision and primary closure in patients with chronic pilonidal sinus disease.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Osteomalacia from Mg-containing antacid: a case report of bilateral hip fracture.

Non-prescribed antacid drugs that contain magnesium and aluminum are widely used in the treatment of gastritis and peptic ulcer. One of the side effects of these antacid drugs is that they bind phosphate in the gut and result in its malabsorption. In this paper, a 42-year-old female patient who used magnesium hydroxide (Magnesie calcinee powder 100 g) to benefit from its laxative feature, and developed osteomalacia after losing 90 kg in 2 years will be presented by going through the related literature. She had widespread joint pain and could hardly walk without the help. Ca, P and vitamin D were at lower limit of normal, ALP, Mg and PTH were increased in her laboratory tests. There were stress fractures at the femur neck and at the upper part of the tibia in plane radiographies. The patient was hospitalized with the diagnosis of osteomalacia and she was treated successfully.

Adult↗