Rifaximin on Visceral Hypersensitivity

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Clinical Trial

Official title:

Effects of Rifaximin on Visceral Hypersensitivity in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Terminated

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03462966
• Other study ID #: 49509
• Status: Terminated
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: July 1, 2018
• Est. completion date: November 19, 2021

Study information

• Verified date: August 2022
• Source: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders, with a global prevalence of 11% according to a recent meta-analysis. The total cost of managing IBS in the United States is in excess of $30 billion per year, including indirect costs relating to loss of productivity of more than $20 billion. Abdominal pain/discomfort (i.e. visceral hypersensitivity) is present in all patients with IBS and remains the most therapy-resistant symptom. Apart from abdominal pain, which is measured subjectively using visual scales, several studies have shown a significant increase in rectal sensitivity, which is measured objectively using an inflatable balloon. Drugs which are shown to have objective effects on visceral hypersensitivity are crucial in the management of IBS.

While certain drugs have shown to decrease abdominal pain, there is very little data to substantiate objective changes in visceral hypersensitivity. Rifaximin is a poorly absorbed antibiotic and the exact underlying mechanism of action for rifaximin in reducing the pain component of IBS remains unknown. However, rifaximin has been shown in randomized controlled trials to decrease abdominal discomfort in all subtypes of IBS.

The investigators hypothesize that rifaximin is effective in decreasing rectal visceral hypersensitivity in IBS patients. In this study, the investigators propose to test this hypothesis by measuring visceral hypersensitivity using the graded balloon distention test, before and after a course of rifaximin. To test whether this effect is accompanied by treating SIBO, the investigators will also perform lactulose breath tests before and after rifaximin therapy.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Terminated
• Enrollment: 4
• Est. completion date: November 19, 2021
• Est. primary completion date: November 19, 2021
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 75 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male or female subjects aged 18-75 years old inclusive

• Meet Rome IV criteria for IBS-D or IBS-M

• Subjects should report urgency with bowel movement at least once a week

• If subjects are =50 years old, a colonoscopy must have been completed within the past 5 years

• Subjects are capable of understanding the requirements of the study, are willing to comply with all the study procedures, and are willing to attend all study visits.

• Agree to use an acceptable method of contraception throughout their participation in the study. Acceptable methods of contraception include: double barrier methods (condom with spermicidal jelly or a diaphragm with spermicide); hormonal methods (e. g. oral contraceptives, patches or medroxyprogesterone acetate); or an intrauterine device (IUD) with a documented failure rate of less than 1% per year. Abstinence or partner(s) with a vasectomy may be considered an acceptable method of contraception at the discretion of the investigator.

• All subjects will provide Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved informed written consent prior to beginning any study-related activities

NOTE: Female subjects who have been surgically sterilized (e.g. hysterectomy or bilateral tubal ligation) or who are postmenopausal (total cessation of menses for >1 year) will not be considered "females of childbearing potential".

Exclusion Criteria:

• Treatment with antibiotics or Xifaxan in the last two months

• Subjects with history of intestinal surgery (except appendectomy or cholecystectomy)

• Subjects with known pelvic floor dysfunction

• Pregnancy

• Nursing mothers

• Poorly controlled/uncontrolled significant medical condition that would interfere with study procedures

• History of bowel obstruction

• History of celiac disease

• History of inflammatory bowel disease

• Cirrhosis

• IBS-C/chronic idiopathic constipation

• Diabetes

• History of anorectal radiation/surgery

• History of prostatitis

• Known allergy or hypersensitivity to rifaximin or rifamycin

• Current treatment with eluxadoline or opiates

NOTE: Development of any of the exclusion criteria during the study will be considered a basis for subject discontinuation.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Hypersensitivity
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Syndrome
• Visceral Hypersensitivity

Intervention

Drug:
• Rifaximin
Rifaximin will be administered to patients diagnosed with IBS-D or IBS-M to evaluate whether the medication is effective in decreasing rectal hypersensitivity. The secondary objective of the study is to assess the role of SIBO in rectal sensitivity.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Cedars-Sinai Medical Center	Los Angeles	California

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center	Bausch Health Americas, Inc.

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (28)

American College of Gastroenterology Task Force on Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Brandt LJ, Chey WD, Foxx-Orenstein AE, Schiller LR, Schoenfeld PS, Spiegel BM, Talley NJ, Quigley EM. An evidence-based position statement on the management of irritable bowel syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol. 2009 Jan;104 Suppl 1:S1-35. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2008.122. Review. — View Citation

Bouhnik Y, Alain S, Attar A, Flourié B, Raskine L, Sanson-Le Pors MJ, Rambaud JC. Bacterial populations contaminating the upper gut in patients with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol. 1999 May;94(5):1327-31. — View Citation

Bures J, Cyrany J, Kohoutova D, Förstl M, Rejchrt S, Kvetina J, Vorisek V, Kopacova M. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome. World J Gastroenterol. 2010 Jun 28;16(24):2978-90. Review. — View Citation

Cash B, Sullivan S, Barghout V. Total costs of IBS: employer and managed care perspective. Am J Manag Care. 2005 Apr;11(1 Suppl):S7-16. — View Citation

Cremonini F, Lembo A. Rifaximin for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2012 Feb;13(3):433-40. doi: 10.1517/14656566.2012.651458. Epub 2012 Jan 18. Review. — View Citation

Cuoco L, Salvagnini M. Small intestine bacterial overgrowth in irritable bowel syndrome: a retrospective study with rifaximin. Minerva Gastroenterol Dietol. 2006 Mar;52(1):89-95. — View Citation

Dalrymple J, Bullock I. Diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome in adults in primary care: summary of NICE guidance. BMJ. 2008 Mar 8;336(7643):556-8. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39484.712616.AD. Review. Erratum in: BMJ. 2015;350:h1216. — View Citation

Di Stefano M, Malservisi S, Veneto G, Ferrieri A, Corazza GR. Rifaximin versus chlortetracycline in the short-term treatment of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2000 May;14(5):551-6. — View Citation

Longstreth GF, Thompson WG, Chey WD, Houghton LA, Mearin F, Spiller RC. Functional bowel disorders. Gastroenterology. 2006 Apr;130(5):1480-91. Review. Erratum in: Gastroenterology. 2006 Aug;131(2):688. — View Citation

Lovell RM, Ford AC. Global prevalence of and risk factors for irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2012 Jul;10(7):712-721.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2012.02.029. Epub 2012 Mar 15. — View Citation

Low K, Hwang L, Hua J, Zhu A, Morales W, Pimentel M. A combination of rifaximin and neomycin is most effective in treating irritable bowel syndrome patients with methane on lactulose breath test. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2010 Sep;44(8):547-50. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0b013e3181c64c90. — View Citation

Lupascu A, Gabrielli M, Lauritano EC, Scarpellini E, Santoliquido A, Cammarota G, Flore R, Tondi P, Pola P, Gasbarrini G, Gasbarrini A. Hydrogen glucose breath test to detect small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: a prevalence case-control study in irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2005 Dec;22(11-12):1157-60. — View Citation

Majewski M, McCallum RW. Results of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth testing in irritable bowel syndrome patients: clinical profiles and effects of antibiotic trial. Adv Med Sci. 2007;52:139-42. — View Citation

Mearin F, Lacy BE, Chang L, Chey WD, Lembo AJ, Simren M, Spiller R. Bowel Disorders. Gastroenterology. 2016 Feb 18. pii: S0016-5085(16)00222-5. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2016.02.031. [Epub ahead of print] — View Citation

Nee J, Zakari M, Lembo AJ. Current and emerging drug options in the treatment of diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2015;16(18):2781-92. doi: 10.1517/14656566.2015.1101449. Epub 2015 Nov 11. Review. — View Citation

Pimentel M, Chatterjee S, Chow EJ, Park S, Kong Y. Neomycin improves constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome in a fashion that is dependent on the presence of methane gas: subanalysis of a double-blind randomized controlled study. Dig Dis Sci. 2006 Aug;51(8):1297-301. Epub 2006 Jul 11. — View Citation

Pimentel M, Chow EJ, Lin HC. Eradication of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol. 2000 Dec;95(12):3503-6. — View Citation

Pimentel M, Chow EJ, Lin HC. Normalization of lactulose breath testing correlates with symptom improvement in irritable bowel syndrome. a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Am J Gastroenterol. 2003 Feb;98(2):412-9. — View Citation

Pimentel M, Lembo A, Chey WD, Zakko S, Ringel Y, Yu J, Mareya SM, Shaw AL, Bortey E, Forbes WP; TARGET Study Group. Rifaximin therapy for patients with irritable bowel syndrome without constipation. N Engl J Med. 2011 Jan 6;364(1):22-32. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1004409. — View Citation

Pimentel M, Lezcano S. Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Bacterial Overgrowth--What's Known and What to Do. Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2007 Aug;10(4):328-37. — View Citation

Pimentel M, Park S, Mirocha J, Kane SV, Kong Y. The effect of a nonabsorbed oral antibiotic (rifaximin) on the symptoms of the irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2006 Oct 17;145(8):557-63. — View Citation

Posserud I, Stotzer PO, Björnsson ES, Abrahamsson H, Simrén M. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Gut. 2007 Jun;56(6):802-8. Epub 2006 Dec 5. — View Citation

Pyleris E, Giamarellos-Bourboulis EJ, Tzivras D, Koussoulas V, Barbatzas C, Pimentel M. The prevalence of overgrowth by aerobic bacteria in the small intestine by small bowel culture: relationship with irritable bowel syndrome. Dig Dis Sci. 2012 May;57(5):1321-9. doi: 10.1007/s10620-012-2033-7. Epub 2012 Jan 20. — View Citation

Rezaie A, Chua KS, Chang C, et al. Mo2026 Methane on Breath Test Predicts Altered Rectal Sensation During High Resolution Anorectal Manometry. Gastroenterology 2017;146:S-721.

Sachdev AH, Pimentel M. Antibiotics for irritable bowel syndrome: rationale and current evidence. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2012 Oct;14(5):439-45. doi: 10.1007/s11894-012-0284-2. Review. — View Citation

Sharara AI, Aoun E, Abdul-Baki H, Mounzer R, Sidani S, Elhajj I. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of rifaximin in patients with abdominal bloating and flatulence. Am J Gastroenterol. 2006 Feb;101(2):326-33. — View Citation

Toskes PP. Bacterial overgrowth of the gastrointestinal tract. Adv Intern Med. 1993;38:387-407. Review. — View Citation

van Wanrooij SJ, Wouters MM, Van Oudenhove L, Vanbrabant W, Mondelaers S, Kollmann P, Kreutz F, Schemann M, Boeckxstaens GE. Sensitivity testing in irritable bowel syndrome with rectal capsaicin stimulations: role of TRPV1 upregulation and sensitization in visceral hypersensitivity? Am J Gastroenterol. 2014 Jan;109(1):99-109. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2013.371. Epub 2013 Nov 5. — View Citation

* Note: There are 28 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Mean Change in the Balloon Volume (Measured in Cubic Centimeter) That Leads to First Urge to Defecate.	A 100-cubic centimeter visual analogue scale with verbal descriptors (0=no sensation, 20=first sensation, 40=first sense of urge, 60=normal urge to defecate, 80=severe urge to defecate, and 100=discomfort/pain) will be used to score evoked sensations.	After completing 14-day course of rifaximin.
Secondary	Association of Urgency Symptom and Rectal Sensitivity Testing.	Association of urgency symptom and rectal sensitivity will be evaluated by the mean change in the balloon pressure (measured in mmHg) that leads to first urge sensation to defecate, evaluated based on the visual analogue scale defined in the primary outcome measure.	After completing 14-day course of rifaximin.
Secondary	Number of Participants With a Rise of Hydrogen <20 Parts Per Million Within 90 Minutes of Lactulose Ingestion.(Which is Considered Normal )	Normalization of lactulose breath test as a potential predictor of improvement of rectal hypersensitivity will be evaluated by comparing lactulose breath test results pre- and post-treatment.; Normalization of lactulose breath test defined as rise of hydrogen <20 Parts per million within 90 minutes of lactulose ingestion.; patients with positive	After completing 14-day course of rifaximin