Efficacy of Mesalazine in the Treatment of Symptomatic Diverticular Disease

• Published in: Digestive diseases and sciences Vol. 50; no. 3; pp. 581 - 586
• Main Authors: Mario, Francesco Di, Aragona, Giovanni, Leandro, Gioacchino, Comparato, Giuseppe, Fanigliulo, Libera, Cavallaro, Lucas G., Cavestro, Giulia M., Iori, Veronica, Maino, Marta, Moussa, Al M., Gnocchi, Alessandro, Mazzocchi, Giancarlo, Franz, Angelo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.03.2005; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis of Variance; Antibacterial agents; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Bones, joints and connective tissue. Antiinflammatory agents; Diverticulitis, Colonic - diagnosis; Diverticulitis, Colonic - drug therapy; Diverticulum, Colon - diagnosis; Diverticulum, Colon - drug therapy; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Intestinal Mucosa - drug effects; Intestinal Mucosa - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; Mesalamine - administration & dosage; Middle Aged; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Probability; Prospective Studies; Rifamycins - administration & dosage; Rifaximin; Risk Assessment; Severity of Illness Index; Single-Blind Method; Statistics, Nonparametric; Treatment Outcome; Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase; Enzyme; Enzyme inhibitor; diverticular disease; Non steroidal antiinflammatory agent; Symptomatology; Analgesic; Treatment; Mesalazine; Efficiency; Antipyretic; Antituberculous agent; Rifaximin; Oxidoreductases; Salicylates; Antibacterial agent; diverticula
• DOI: 10.1007/s10620-005-2478-z
• ISSN: 0163-2116

We aimed to improve symptoms by means of mesalazine in symptomatic colonic diverticular disease patients. One hundred seventy outpatients (98 M, 72 F; age, 67.1 years; range, 39-84 years) were assigned to four different schedules: rifaximin, 200 mg bid (Group R1: 39 pts), rifaximin, 400 mg bid (Group R2: 43 pts), mesalazine, 400 mg bid (Group M1: 40 pts), and mesalazine, 800 mg bid (Group M2: 48 pts), for 10 days per month. At baseline and after 3 months we recorded 11 clinical variables (upper/lower abdominal pain/discomfort, bloating, tenesmus, diarrhea, abdominal tenderness, fever, general illness, nausea, emesis, dysuria), scored from 0 = no symptoms to 3 = severe. The global symptomatic score was the sum of all symptom scores. After 3 months in all schedules but Group R1, 3 of the 11 symptoms improved (P < 0.03); the global score decreased in all groups but Group R1 (P < 0.0001). Mesalazine-treated patients had the lowest global score at 3 months (P < 0.001). Mesalazine is as effective as rifaximin (higher dosage schedule) for diminishing some symptoms, but it appears to be better than rifaximin for improving the global score in those patients.