title: Efficacy of a simethicone, activated charcoal and magnesium oxide combination (Carbosymag®) in functional dyspepsia: results of a general practice-based randomized trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A simethicone, activated charcoal and magnesium oxide combination (Carbosymag(®)) has been used for almost 20 years in functional dyspepsia, but there is limited scientific evidence of efficacy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the efficacy of Carbosymag(®) in 18- to 49-year-old patients with functional dyspepsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 276 dyspeptic patients consulting a general practitioner and meeting the Rome III criteria were included in this prospective placebo-controlled study. Variations in overall and individual dyspeptic symptoms were evaluated after 1 month of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the treatment period, overall dyspeptic symptom intensity was significantly lower in the Carbosymag(®) group (P=0.01). The intensity of post-prandial fullness, epigastric pain, epigastric burning and abdominal bloating was significantly reduced in the Carbosymag(®) group relative to the placebo group (P<0.05). The number need to treat to induce a 70-% decrease in overall dyspeptic symptoms by Carbosymag(®) was 7 (IC 95%: 4-32).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A simethicone, activated charcoal and magnesium oxide combination (Carbosymag(®)) was significantly more effective than a placebo on overall symptom intensity in dyspeptic patients consulting a general practitioner.
authors.affiliation: Service d'hépato-gastroentérologie, hôpital Louis-Mourier, AP-HP, 178, rue des Renouillers, 92700 Colombes, France. benoit.coffin@lmr.aphp.fr
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coffin
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bortolloti
authors.forename: Odile
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bourgeois
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Denicourt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000863:Antacids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000934:Antifoaming Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002606:Charcoal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice; D006801:Humans; D008277:Magnesium Oxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012841:Simethicone / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000863:Antacids; D000931:Antidotes; D000934:Antifoaming Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D002606:Charcoal; D008277:Magnesium Oxide; D012841:Simethicone