A randomised controlled trial assessing the efficacy and safety of repeated tegaserod therapy in women with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. Effect of tegaserod in chronic constipation: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of tegaserod in female patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. An Asia-Pacific, double blind, placebo controlled, randomised study to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of tegaserod in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Tegaserod for the treatment of chronic constipation: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multinational study. Tegaserod, a 5-HT(4) receptor partial agonist, relieves symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome patients with abdominal pain, bloating and constipation. Effect of a laxative with and without tegaserod in adolescents with constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrome. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of tegaserod in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Effect of tegaserod on work and daily activity in irritable bowel syndrome with constipation.
It has been proposed that treatments for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) should provide rapid symptomatic relief, be intermittent, and effective upon repeated use.
                To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tegaserod on IBS symptoms, and its impact on quality of life and health economic measures.
                Women (> or = 18 years of age) with IBS-C according to the Rome II criteria.
                Prospective, double blind, placebo controlled, randomised trial. Women with IBS-C either received tegaserod 6 mg twice daily or placebo for one month. Patients with at least a partial response entered a treatment free interval. Upon symptom recurrence, tegaserod treated patients were re-randomised to tegaserod or placebo for an additional month. Primary efficacy variables were response (overall IBS symptoms and abdominal discomfort/pain) to first and repeated treatment. Analysis was by intention to treat.
                2660 patients and 1191 patients were randomised for first and repeated treatment respectively. Tegaserod was superior to placebo for each primary efficacy variable (first treatment: 33.7% v 24.2% responders respectively for relief of IBS symptoms and 31.3% v 22.1% for relief of abdominal discomfort/pain; repeated treatment: 44.9% v 28.7%, and 42.4% v 27.1%, all p < 0.0001). Tegaserod was superior to placebo for every secondary efficacy variable (relief of abdominal discomfort/pain, bloating and constipation; stool frequency and consistency). A response to tegaserod was observed within the first treatment week. Tegaserod produced greater satisfaction, work productivity, and improved quality of life than placebo (p < 0.05).
                Tegaserod provides rapid and sustained relief of IBS-C symptoms both during first and repeated treatment. Chronic constipation is a common gastrointestinal disorder. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of tegaserod, a serotonin subtype 4 receptor partial agonist in patients with chronic constipation.
                This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. After a 2-week baseline, patients received tegaserod 2 mg twice daily (n = 450), tegaserod 6 mg twice daily (n = 451), or placebo (n = 447) for 12 weeks, followed by a 4-week withdrawal period. Responders were those patients having been treated for at least 7 days with an increase of > or =1 complete spontaneous bowel movement/week vs. baseline during weeks 1-4 (primary variable) and weeks 1-12 (secondary variable). Other secondary variables included patient assessment of constipation symptoms (number of bowel movements, stool form, abdominal bloating/distention, straining, and abdominal pain/discomfort), and global assessment of constipation and bowel habits.
                Responder rates for complete spontaneous bowel movement during weeks 1-4 were significantly greater ( P < 0.0001) in the tegaserod 2 mg twice daily (41.4%) and 6 mg twice daily groups (43.2%) vs. placebo (25.1%). This effect was maintained over 12 weeks. Statistically significant improvements over placebo were observed across the majority of secondary variables for both tegaserod doses. No rebound effect was observed after treatment withdrawal. Tegaserod was well tolerated; headache and nasopharyngitis, the most frequent adverse events, were more common in the placebo group than in either tegaserod group.
                Over 12 weeks, tegaserod treatment produced significant improvements in chronic constipation symptoms and was also safe and well tolerated. Irritable bowel syndrome is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder which affects up to 20% of the population, with a predominance in females.
                To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tegaserod in female patients with irritable bowel syndrome characterized by symptoms of abdominal pain/discomfort and constipation.
                In a randomized, double-blind, multicentre study, 1519 women received either tegaserod, 6 mg b.d. (n = 767), or placebo (n = 752) for 12 weeks, preceded by a 4-week baseline period without treatment and followed by a 4-week open withdrawal period. The primary efficacy evaluation was the patient's symptomatic response as measured by the Subject's Global Assessment of Relief. Other efficacy variables included abdominal pain/discomfort, bowel habits and bloating.
                Tegaserod produced significant (P < 0.05) improvements in the Subject's Global Assessment of Relief and other efficacy variables. These improvements were seen within the first week, and were maintained throughout the treatment period. After withdrawal of treatment, the symptoms rapidly returned. Overall, tegaserod was well tolerated. Diarrhoea was the most frequent adverse event; however, this led to discontinuation in only 1.6% of tegaserod-treated patients.
                Tegaserod, 6 mg b.d., produced rapid and sustained improvement of symptoms in female irritable bowel syndrome patients and was well tolerated. Tegaserod has been shown to be an effective therapy for the multiple symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in Western populations. However, little information is available regarding the use of tegaserod in the Asia-Pacific population.
                To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of tegaserod versus placebo in patients with IBS from the Asia-Pacific region.
                A total of 520 patients from the Asia-Pacific region with IBS, excluding those with diarrhoea predominant IBS.
                Patients were randomised to receive either tegaserod 6 mg twice daily (n=259) or placebo (n=261) for a 12 week treatment period. The primary efficacy variable (over weeks 1-4) was the response to the question: "Over the past week do you consider that you have had satisfactory relief from your IBS symptoms?" Secondary efficacy variables assessed overall satisfactory relief over 12 weeks and individual symptoms of IBS.
                The mean proportion of patients with overall satisfactory relief was greater in the tegaserod group than in the placebo group over weeks 1-4 (56% v 35%, respectively; p<0.0001) and weeks 1-12 (62% v 44%, respectively; p<0.0001). A clinically relevant effect was observed as early as week 1 and was maintained throughout the treatment period. Reductions in the number of days with at least moderate abdominal pain/discomfort, bloating, no bowel movements, and hard/lumpy stools were greater in the tegaserod group compared with the placebo group. Headache was the most commonly reported adverse event (12.0% tegaserod v 11.1% placebo). Diarrhoea led to discontinuation in 2.3% of tegaserod patients. Serious adverse events were infrequent (1.5% tegaserod v 3.4% placebo).
                Tegaserod 6 mg twice daily is an effective, safe, and well tolerated treatment for patients in the Asia-Pacific region suffering from IBS and whose main bowel symptom is not diarrhoea. Chronic constipation is a common, persistent disorder with limited effective treatment options. This study investigated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of tegaserod in the treatment of chronic constipation.
                After a 2-wk baseline period, patients were randomized to double-blind treatment of 12 wk with tegaserod (2 or 6 mg b.i.d.) or placebo. Response during weeks 1-4 (primary variable) was defined as an increase in complete spontaneous bowel movement (CSBM)/wk. Secondary variables included response during weeks 1-12, patient evaluation of individual symptoms, and global assessment of bowel habits and constipation.
                One thousand two hundred and sixty-four patients were randomized to tegaserod or placebo. Responder rates for the primary efficacy variable were 35.6% for tegaserod 2 mg b.i.d. (p= 0.0059 vs placebo), 40.2% for 6 mg b.i.d. (p < 0.0001 vs placebo) and 26.7% for placebo. The number needed to treat was 7.3 for the 6 mg b.i.d. dose compared with 11.1 for tegaserod 2 mg b.i.d. Tegaserod 6 mg b.i.d. reduced straining, abdominal bloating/distension, and abdominal pain/discomfort during the 12-wk treatment period compared with placebo (p < 0.05 for all symptoms). Significant improvements were also seen in stool form and in global assessment of bowel habits and constipation. The most common adverse events, headache and abdominal pain, were more frequent with placebo than with tegaserod.
                Tegaserod was efficacious in relieving symptoms of chronic constipation and was well tolerated. To investigate the efficacy and safety of tegaserod, a novel 5-HT(4) receptor partial agonist, in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 12-week treatment, multicentre study.
                Eight hundred and eighty-one patients with irritable bowel syndrome, characterized by abdominal pain, bloating and constipation, received tegaserod, 2 mg b.d. or 6 mg b.d., or placebo for 12 weeks.
                Tegaserod, 2 mg b.d. and 6 mg b.d., showed a statistically significant relief of overall irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, measured by a weekly, self-administered questionnaire. At end-point, treatment differences from placebo were 12.7% and 11.8% for 2 mg b.d. and 6 mg b.d., respectively. The effect of tegaserod was noted as early as week 1, and was sustained over the 12-week treatment period. Individual irritable bowel syndrome symptoms assessed daily also showed a statistically significant improvement of abdominal discomfort/pain, number of bowel movements and stool consistency, and a favourable trend for reducing days with significant bloating. Adverse events were similar in all groups, with transient diarrhoea being the only adverse event seen more frequently with tegaserod than placebo.
                Based upon the results of this study, tegaserod offers rapid and sustained relief of the abdominal pain and constipation associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Tegaserod is also well tolerated. To determine the effect of a laxative alone and in combination with tegaserod in alleviating pain and improving stool frequency in adolescents with constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrome.
                Forty-eight postpubertal adolescents of both sexes with constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrome, as defined by Rome II criteria, were randomly allocated to Group A (n = 27) for treatment with a laxative (polyethylene glycol 3350 oral solution) only or Group B (n = 21) for combination therapy with the laxative and tegaserod. Symptoms of abdominal pain (scale 0-10) and frequency of bowel movements were recorded daily in the pre-treatment phase and the post-treatment phase after a 7-day 'washout' period. Patients served as their own controls.
                Treatment with the laxative alone (Group A) resulted in significant increase in frequency of bowel movements (P < 0.05), but not significant improvement in pain (P > 0.05). Treatment with the combination of the laxative and tegaserod (Group B) led to significant increase in the frequency of bowel movements and also significant reduction in pain (P < 0.05).
                The laxative alone improved stooling but not pain in adolescents with constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrome. Addition of tegaserod resulted in alleviation of pain as well. Tegaserod has been shown to be an effective therapy for the multiple symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in Western and Asia-Pacific populations. This study evaluated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of tegaserod versus placebo in patients with IBS.
                Patients with IBS (excluding those whose primary bowel symptom was diarrhoea) were randomized to receive either tegaserod 6 mg b.i.d. (n = 327) or placebo (n = 320) for a 12-week double-blind treatment period. The primary efficacy variable (over weeks 1 to 4) was the response to the question: 'Over the past week do you consider that you have had satisfactory relief from your IBS symptoms?' Secondary efficacy variables assessed overall satisfactory relief over 12 weeks and the individual IBS symptoms.
                Overall satisfactory relief was greater in the tegaserod group than in the placebo group. Over weeks I to 4, the odds ratio was 1.54, that is, the odds of satisfactory relief were 54% higher in the tegaserod group than in the placebo group (95% confidence interval for odds ratio (CI) (1.14, 2.08), P = 0.0049). Over weeks 1 to 12, the odds ratio was 1.78, that is, the odds of satisfactory relief were 78% higher in the tegaserod group than in the placebo group (95% CI (1.35, 2.34), P < 0.0001). A statistically significant therapeutic gain over placebo was observed for the majority of weeks from week 1 to week 12 (except weeks I and 4), with a mean therapeutic gain of 7.3 and 10.6 percentage points over weeks 1-4 and weeks 1-12, respectively. Headache was the most commonly reported adverse event (8.0% tegaserod versus 4.7% placebo). Diarrhoea was reported by 9.2% of patients on tegaserod (1.3% on placebo) and led to discontinuation in 2.8% of tegaserod patients.
                Tegaserod 6 mg b.i.d. is an effective, safe and well-tolerated treatment in patients suffering from IBS without diarrhoea as primary bowel symptom. Tegaserod is a promotility agent with proven efficacy and safety in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation.
                To assess tegaserod's effect on work productivity and daily activity.
                Women, 18-65 years old and meeting Rome II criteria for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, were randomized to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study of tegaserod 6 mg b.d. or placebo. Productivity loss and daily activity impairment because of irritable bowel syndrome were measured with the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire for irritable bowel syndrome, modified to exclude diarrhoea as a symptom. Assessments were made at baseline, weeks 2 and 4.
                A total of 2660 women were randomized and, of these, 1675 [tegaserod (n = 1363), placebo (n = 312)] were employed and completed Work Productivity and Activity Impairment for irritable bowel syndrome questionnaires. Compared with placebo, tegaserod significantly reduced work and daily activity impairment at weeks 2 and 4. Tegaserod reduced absenteeism by 2.6% (P = 0.004), presenteeism by 5.4% (P < 0.0001), overall work productivity loss by 6.3% (P < 0.0001), and activity impairment by 5.8% (P < 0.0001) at week 4 (vs. baseline). Assuming a 40-h workweek, tegaserod reduced work productivity loss by 2.5 h/week.
                Tegaserod significantly reduced work productivity loss and daily activity impairment at 2 weeks, and this benefit was maintained at 4 weeks.
Tegaserod appears to improve the overall symptomatology of IBS, and the frequency of bowel movements in those with chronic constipation. The clinical importance of these modest improvements is not clear. There are currently few data on its effect on quality of life. In addition, more information is needed about its efficacy in men. It would also be of interest to know whether treatment with tegaserod leads either directly, or indirectly, to changes in visceral sensitivity or psychopathology, which are also considered important in the pathophysiology of these conditions.