title: Tegaserod is effective in the initial and retreatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are often cyclical and thus may require repeated rather than continuous therapy. Tegaserod is effective and well-tolerated for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation but data on retreatment are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether tegaserod retreatment is as efficacious and well-tolerated as initial treatment in a primary care setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  This open-label trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of tegaserod under real-life conditions. Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation patients received tegaserod 6 mg b.d. for 12 weeks; response was assessed at weeks 4 and 12. Responders (those achieving satisfactory relief for at least 2 of the previous 4 weeks) at weeks 4 and/or 12 entered an 8-week withdrawal period where symptom recurrence was assessed. Patients experiencing recurrence could receive tegaserod 6 mg b.d. for another 4 weeks (retreatment phase) and on completion, could choose to continue tegaserod in a 6-month extension study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 513 patients received initial treatment with tegaserod; 85.0% (436 of 513) responded. 403 responders entered the withdrawal period; symptoms recurred in 83.9% (338 of 403) after a mean of 38 days. Of the 307 patients who subsequently entered retreatment 89.3% (274 of 307) responded. Among patients entering the retreatment period, 269 (87.6%) had responded within the first 4 weeks of initial treatment. Of these, 243 (90.3%) responded to tegaserod retreatment. Adverse events were infrequent and similar during 4 weeks of the initial treatment period (11.1%) and on retreatment (10.4%). The extension study, completed by 188 of 232 (81.0%) patients, demonstrated good long-term tolerability of tegaserod.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation patients can be successfully treated, and retreated, with tegaserod 6 mg b.d. Tegaserod was well-tolerated during initial and retreatment periods.
authors.affiliation: Park-Klinik Weissensee, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Müller-Lissner
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holtmann
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rueegg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weidinger
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Löffler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003248:Constipation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D007211:Indoles; C105050:tegaserod