Efficacy and tolerability of chitin-glucan combined with simethicone(GASTRAP^(■)DIRECT)in irritable bowel syndrome:A prospective,open-label,multicenter study

BACKGROUND Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS),defined according to the Rome IV diagnostic criteria,is a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by recurrent abdominal pain related to altered bowel habits.First-line recommended treatments are limited to combining drugs targeting predominant symptoms,particularly pain(antispasmodics),constipation(laxatives),and diarrhea(loperamide),yielding only a limited therapeutic gain.GASTRAP^(■)DIRECT is a class IIa medical formulation composed of a combination of chitin-glucan and simethicone indicated for the symptomatic treatment of gas-related gastrointestinal disorders by combining different mechanisms of action.AIM To evaluate the efficacy,tolerability,and safety of 4-week GASTRAP^(■)DIRECT treatment in patients with IBS.METHODS In this prospective,multicenter,open-label trial,120 patients with IBS received three sticks of GASTRAP^(■)DIRECT(1.5 g/d of chitin-glucan and 0.75 mg/d of simethicone)per day for 4 weeks.The primary endpoint was the responder rate,defined as the number of patients whose abdominal pain score decreased by≥30%from baseline to week(W)4.The analysis was performed using the per-protocol set.Cardinal symptoms,impact of global symptoms on daily life,change in stool consistency,and improvement in defecatory disorders were evaluated.RESULTS Overall,100 patients were evaluated.At W4,67%(95%CI:57-75)showed improvement in abdominal pain(score:5.8±2.4 vs 2.9±2.0,P<0.0001).Similar improvements were observed for bloating[8.0±1.7 vs 4.7±2.9,P<0.0001;60%(95%CI:50-70)responders],abdominal distension[7.2±2.1 vs 4.4±3.1,P<0.0001;53%(95%CI:43-63)responders],and impact of global symptoms on daily life[7.1±2.0 vs 4.6±2.9,P<0.0001;54%(95%CI:44-64)responders].Stool consistency improved in most patients(90%and 57%for patients with liquid and hard stools,respectively).Overall,42%of patients with defecatory disorders reported very much/considerable improvements by W2.No severe adverse event occurred,and tolerability was rated“good”or“very good”by 93%of patients.CONCLUSION GASTRAP^(■)DIRECT is safe and well tolerated,alleviating IBS symptoms rapidly in 2 weeks.This open-label study suggests that the combination of chitin-glucan and simethicone could be beneficial in patients with IBS.

Surgery for obstructed defecation syndrome-is there an ideal technique

Obstructive defecation syndrome(ODS) is a common disorder with a considerable impact on the quality of life of affected patients.Surgery for ODS remains a challenging topic.There exists a great variety of operative techniques to treat patients with ODS.According to the surgeon's preference the approach can be transanal,transvaginal,transperineal or transabdominal.All techniques have its advantages and disadvantages.Notably,high evidence based studies are significantly lacking in literature,thus making accurate assessments difficult.Careful patient's selection is crucial to achieveoptimal functional results.It is mandatory to assess not only defecation disorders but also evaluate overall pelvic floor symptoms,such as fecal incontinence and urinary disorders for choosing an appropriate and tailored strategy.Radiological investigation is essential but may not explain complaints of every patient.

Genitourinary function and defecation after colorectal cancer surgery with low-and high-ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery:A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND The effect of low ligation(LL)vs high ligation(HL)of the inferior mesenteric artery(IMA)on functional outcomes during sigmoid colon and rectal cancer surgery,including urinary,sexual,and bowel function,is still controversial.AIM To assess the effect of LL of the IMA on genitourinary function and defecation after colorectal cancer(CRC)surgery.METHODS EMBASE,PubMed,Web of Science,and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched to retrieve studies describing sigmoid colon and rectal cancer surgery in order to compare outcomes following LL and HL.A total of 14 articles,including 4750 patients,were analyzed using Review Manager 5.3 software.Dichotomous results are expressed as odds ratios(ORs)with 95%confidence intervals(CIs)and continuous outcomes are expressed as weighted mean differences(WMDs)with 95%CIs.RESULTS LL resulted in a significantly lower incidence of nocturnal bowel movement(OR=0.73,95%CI:0.55 to 0.97,P=0.03)and anastomotic stenosis(OR=0.31,95%CI:0.16 to 0.62,P=0.0009)compared with HL.The risk of postoperative urinary dysfunction,however,did not differ significantly between the two techniques.The meta-analysis also showed no significant differences between LL and HL in terms of anastomotic leakage,postoperative complications,total lymph nodes harvested,blood loss,operation time,tumor recurrence,mortality,5-year overall survival rate,or 5-year disease-free survival rate.CONCLUSION Since LL may result in better bowel function and a reduced rate of anastomotic stenosis following CRC surgeries,we suggest that LL be preferred over HL.