Psyllium is superior to docusate sodium for treatment of chronic constipation.

Article Details

Citation
Copy to clipboard

McRorie JW, Daggy BP, Morel JG, Diersing PS, Miner PB, Robinson M

Psyllium is superior to docusate sodium for treatment of chronic constipation.

Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1998 May;12(5):491-7.

PubMed ID
9663731 [ View in PubMed
]
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Stool softening is a physician's first step in the management of chronic constipation. AIM: To compare stool softening (stool water content) and laxative efficacy of psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid vs. docusate sodium. METHODS: The multi-site, randomized, double-blind, parallel-design study of 170 subjects with chronic idiopathic constipation involved a 2-week baseline (placebo) phase followed by 2 weeks of treatment. The treatment phase compared psyllium (5.1 g b.d.) plus docusate placebo to docusate sodium (100 mg b.d.) plus psyllium placebo. Stools were collected and assessed. RESULTS: Compared to baseline, psyllium increased stool water content vs. docusate (psyllium 2.33% vs. docusate 0.01%, P = 0.007). Psyllium also increased stool water weight (psyllium 84.0 g/BM; docusate 71.4 g/BM; P = 0.04), total stool output (psyllium 359.9 g/week: docusate 271.9 g/week; P = 0.005), and O'Brien rank-type score combining objective measures of constipation (psyllium 475.1; docusate 403.9; P = 0.002). Bowel movement (BM) frequency was significantly greater for psyllium (3.5 BM/week) vs. docusate (2.9 BM/week) in treatment week 2 (P = 0.02), with no significant difference (P > 0.05) between treatment groups in treatment week 1 (3.3 vs. 3.1 BM/week). CONCLUSION: Psyllium is superior to docusate sodium for softening stools by increasing stool water content, and has greater overall laxative efficacy in subjects with chronic idiopathic constipation.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drugs