title: Pruritus and fatigue associated with liver disease: is there a role for ondansetron?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Complications of liver disease include pruritus and fatigue. Increased central opioidergic tone, which is modulated by serotoninergic pathways, contributes to the former; increased central serotoninergic tone may contribute to the latter.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine non-clinical and clinical data relevant to the hypothesis that ondansetron, a 5-HT(3) receptor subtype antagonist, ameliorates pruritus and fatigue in liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Non-clinical findings supporting the hypothesis are discussed and all trials of ondansetron for pruritus or fatigue in liver disease are reviewed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  That ondansetron ameliorates pruritus in liver disease is strongly supported by subjective observations, but is not confirmed by objective findings in two controlled trials. Anecdotal observations also suggest that ondansetron ameliorates fatigue in liver disease, but in only one of two randomized controlled trials, that used subjective end points, is a similar conclusion possible.
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Department of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. evan.a.jones@btinternet.com
authors.forename: E Anthony
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000982:Antipruritics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005221:Fatigue / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000982:Antipruritics; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D012701:Serotonin; D017294:Ondansetron