ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Constipation is often characterized by slow colonic transit, but the relationship between colonic transit time (CTT) and symptoms is unclear. The aims of this study were to investigate the effect of prucalopride, a 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor-4 agonist, on CTT and assess the relationship between CTT and symptoms. METHODS: This was an integrated analysis of three randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 2 dose-finding trials of prucalopride in patients with chronic constipation (ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT00617513; NCT00631813; and NCT00596596). Measurements of CTT were analyzed using radio-opaque markers at the start and end (4 or 12 weeks) of treatment. At these visits, patients assessed the presence and severity of their symptoms. RESULTS: In total, 280 patients had CTT measurements before and at the end of treatment and were included in the analysis. Their mean age was 43 years, 93% were women, and mean duration of constipation was 19 years. After a once daily treatment with prucalopride 2 mg (n=98) and 4 mg (n=70), CTT was reduced by 12.0 h (95% confidence interval (CI): -18.9, -5.1) and 13.9 h (95% CI: -20.5, -7.4), respectively; CTT increased by 0.5 h (95% CI: -4.5, 5.5) with placebo (n=112). At the end of the trial, symptoms including bloating/flatulence/distension and straining were rated as severe or very severe by a higher proportion of patients with slow or very slow CTT (>48 h) than by those with normal CTT. CONCLUSIONS: There was a clear relationship between increased CTT and increased symptom severity in patients with chronic constipation. Treatment with prucalopride accelerated CTT in these individuals.
Subject(s)
Benzofurans/therapeutic use , Colon/drug effects , Constipation/drug therapy , Gastrointestinal Transit/drug effects , Serotonin 5-HT4 Receptor Agonists/therapeutic use , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Chronic Disease , Colon/physiopathology , Constipation/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Severity of Illness Index , Treatment Outcome , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) has negative effects on quality of life (QOL). Prucalopride is a new, selective 5-HT(4) agonist and enterokinetic with strong clinical data in chronic constipation. This study investigated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of prucalopride in patients with noncancer pain and OIC. METHODS: A phase II, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 196 patients randomized to placebo (n = 66), prucalopride 2 mg (n = 66) or 4 mg (n = 64), for 4 weeks, was carried out. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with increase from baseline of ≥ 1 spontaneous complete bowel movement (SCBM)/week. Secondary endpoints [proportion of patients with ≥ 3 SCBM/week, weekly frequency of (SC)BM, severity of constipation, and efficacy of treatment], adverse events (AEs), and safety parameters were also monitored. RESULTS: More patients had an increase from baseline of ≥ 1 SCBM per week (weeks 1-4) in the prucalopride groups [35.9% (2 mg) and 40.3% (4 mg)] versus placebo (23.4%), reaching statistical significance in week 1. Over weeks 1-4, more patients in the prucalopride groups achieved an average of ≥ 3 SBM per week versus placebo (60.7% and 69.0% versus 43.3%), reaching significance at week 1. Prucalopride 4 mg significantly improved patient-rated severity of constipation and effectiveness of treatment versus placebo. Patient Assessment of Constipation-Symptom (PAC-SYM) total scores and Patient Assessment of Constipation-Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) total and satisfaction subscale scores were improved. The most common AEs were abdominal pain and nausea. There were no clinically relevant differences between groups in vital signs, laboratory measures or electrocardiogram parameters. CONCLUSION: In this population with OIC, prucalopride improved bowel function and was safe and well tolerated.
Subject(s)
Abdominal Pain/drug therapy , Analgesics, Opioid/adverse effects , Benzofurans/administration & dosage , Constipation/drug therapy , Serotonin Receptor Agonists/administration & dosage , Abdominal Pain/chemically induced , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Analgesics, Opioid/administration & dosage , Benzofurans/adverse effects , Constipation/chemically induced , Double-Blind Method , Drug Therapy, Combination , Electrocardiography , Female , Humans , Laxatives/administration & dosage , Male , Middle Aged , Placebo Effect , Serotonin Receptor Agonists/adverse effects , Treatment Outcome , Vital Signs , Young AdultABSTRACT
We describe the synthesis and SAR of a new class of CCR2 antagonists based on 2-mercaptoimidazole scaffold. The initial lead 1a was optimized to the 3,4-disubstituted analogues 1p-(S) and 1q-(S), which have IC(50) values in the MCP-1 induced Ca-flux below 0.01 microM.
Subject(s)
Ethylenethiourea/analogs & derivatives , Ethylenethiourea/chemical synthesis , Ethylenethiourea/pharmacology , Receptors, Chemokine/antagonists & inhibitors , Calcium Signaling/drug effects , Cell Line , Chemokine CCL2/pharmacology , Humans , Imidazoles/chemical synthesis , Imidazoles/pharmacology , Inhibitory Concentration 50 , Receptors, CCR2 , Structure-Activity RelationshipABSTRACT
This communication describes the synthesis and in vitro PDE4 inhibitory activity of a novel series of imidazol-2-one and 2-cyanoiminoimidazole derivatives. The compounds described were also tested in in vivo models to evaluate their anti-inflammatory activity after topical administration as well as their gastro-intestinal side effects. Several compounds proved to be potent PDE4 inhibitors and some 2-cyanoiminoimidazoles showed less pronounced gastro-intestinal side effects than reference compounds but maintained anti-inflammatory activity after topical administration.