Gender-related differences in slowing colonic transit by a 5-HT3 antagonist in subjects with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome

• Published in: The American journal of gastroenterology Vol. 96; no. 9; pp. 2671 - 2676
• Main Authors: VIRAMONTES, Blanca E, CAMILLERI, Michael, MCKINZIE, Sanna, PARDI, Darrell S, BURTON, Duane, THOMFORDE, George M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell Publishing 01.09.2001; Wolters Kluwer Health Medical Research, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Carbolines - pharmacology; Colon - drug effects; Colon - physiopathology; Colonic Diseases, Functional - complications; Colonic Diseases, Functional - physiopathology; Diarrhea - complications; Diarrhea - physiopathology; Digestive system; Female; Gastroenterology; Gastrointestinal Transit - drug effects; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Serotonin Antagonists - pharmacology; Sex Factors; Time Factors; Human; Alosetron; Sex; Diarrhea; Biological activity; Digestive transit; Symptomatology; Chemotherapy; 5-HT3 Serotonine receptor; Irritable bowel syndrome; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Antagonist; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0002-9270; 1572-0241
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2001.04138.x

To evaluate the influence of gender on the effect of a 5-HT3 antagonist, alosetron, 1 mg b.i.d., on GI and colonic transit in D-IBS. Thirty patients (15 male, 15 female) with D-IBS received 1 mg b.i.d. alosetron for 6 wk. Transit was measured by scintigraphy at baseline and at the end of treatment. Alosetron, 1 mg b.i.d., significantly retarded small bowel and, proximal and overall colonic transit in the 30 patients with D-IBS. The effect of alosetron on the primary endpoint, colonic geometric center at 24 h, was significantly greater in females than in males (p < 0.05). However, two females showed no slowing of colonic transit on treatment. Among male patients, two of 15 had a slowing of colonic transit at 24 h that was greater than the mean change in female patients, suggesting responsiveness to alosetron among a subgroup of males. A 5-HT3 antagonist, alosetron, significantly retards small intestinal and colonic transit in diarrhea-predominant IBS patients, with significantly greater female to male responsiveness. Gender partly contributes to differences in the serotonergic control of intestinal and colonic transit in patients with D-IBS.