[Jeffrey Roberts]

Antibiotic Xifaxan 550 Mg. (Rifaximin) demonstrated acute sustained relief of non-constipation IBS symptoms http://www.salix.com/news/stories/20100503.aspx

 

[Jeffrey Roberts]

Otilonium Bromide (OB) 40 mg seems to be a good candidate for gut pain as it acts directly on smooth muscle cells. It is superior to placebo. It is known as spasmomen by its manufacturer A. Menarini Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite Srl in Italy, http://www.menarini.com/ethical_division/t...l_area/products .The risk for adverse effects such as ischemic colitis or severe constipation may be over emphasized for Lotronex (alosetron) used for IBS-D. There are reportely 1.1 case of ischemic colitis per 1,000 patient years and 0.66 cases of complicated constipation per 1,000 patient years. It is not clear why more US-based doctors do not prescribe this for their patients.Probiotics seems to increase mucous production and modulation of the immune system amongst its many properties. It decreases TNF-alpha, IFN-y and IL-8 while increasing IL-10.There is little good research data on the use of probiotics for IBS. B. Infantis showed benefit in only 2 out of 5 studies. VSL#3 appears to improve flatulence and retards colon transit time.There is virtually no reserch data on the long term effects of probiotics usage.The number of microbia cells in the human body outnumber the host cells by 10-fold.The antibiotic effect on the microbiota is significant such that it takes months to return the gut to the same microbiota as before antibiotics. The same species will be replaced; however, not necessarily in the same quantity.Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome are unnecessarily prescribed narcotics.http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/187476.php

 

[Jeffrey Roberts]

Mayo Clinic Researchers Discover New Genetic Candidates for Irritable Bowel Syndromehttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/187632.phpIronwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Forest Laboratories, Inc. presented Phase 3 clinical trial results assessing the efficacy and safety of the investigational drug linaclotide in patients with chronic constipation (CC). Lincaclotide is in Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) and CC.http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/187645.phpNo Magic Cures for IBS: Brennan Spiegel, MD, of the University of California Los Angeles, spoke with MedPage Today senior editor John Gever about the advances reported at Digestive Disease Week in understanding and treating IBS. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/DDW/19944 (video)

 

[Jeffrey Roberts]

Rifaximin Bests Placebo for Irritable Bowel Syndrome By John Gever, Senior Editor, MedPage TodayPublished: May 06, 2010NEW ORLEANS -- The antibiotic rifaximin (Xifaxan) met its primary endpoint in two phase III trials in nonconstipational irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), though the improvement over placebo was only modest, researchers said here. Pooled data on a total of 1,260 patients indicated that 40.7% had "adequate relief" of their symptoms following a two-week course of rifaximin, compared with 31.7% of patients taking placebo (P=0.0008), reported Mark Pimentel, MD, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.....But another prominent IBS researcher, in an interview with MedPage Today, sounded a note of skepticism. Brennan Spiegel, MD, of the University of California Los Angeles, who was not involved with the study, said he was unconvinced that bacterial overgrowth is a cause of IBS.He said he believed it's "an epiphenomenon" -- a consequence of a more fundamental pathology in IBS that remains unknown. Although antibiotic treatment may normalize the intestinal flora for a period of time, Spiegel said, it is likely to recur if the real cause isn't treated.http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/DDW/19974© 2004-2010 MedPage Today, LLC. All Rights Reserved

 

[Jeffrey Roberts]

Caregivers for the Chronically Ill at High Risk for IBSBy John Gever, Senior Editor, MedPage TodayPublished: May 07, 2010NEW ORLEANS -- Nearly half of caregivers for chronically ill patients suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), probably a sign of the stress they are under, a researcher said here.Of 96 individuals who had been caring for a chronically ill person for at least six months, 47 met Rome II criteria for IBS, reported Jose Remes-Troche, MD, of the University of Veracruz in Mexico.http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/DDW/19988© 2004-2010 MedPage Today, LLC. All Rights Reserved