Mesalazine for the treatment of diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D)

ISRCTN ISRCTN76612274
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN76612274
ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT01316718
Secondary identifying numbers EME 09/20/16; Final Version 1.0
Submission date
19/02/2010
Registration date
28/05/2010
Last edited
30/08/2018
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Digestive System
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims.
Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea (IBS-D) affects around 3% of the population and is characterised by abdominal pain and frequent loose bowel movements. There are few treatments for these symptoms that work and this study aims to see whether an anti-inflammatory drug called Mesalazine might help those with IBS-D. Previous studies have suggested benefit but this needs confirmation.

Who can participate?
Patients diagnosed by their doctors as having irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea.

What does the study involve?
Patients will be required to take either Mesalazine or a dummy drug (placebo) twice daily for 3 months. At the beginning of the study, an examination of the lower bowel will be made and a small specimen taken from the lining (biopsy). This procedure is routinely performed to identify the different causes of diarrhoea. The biopsy will be repeated at the end of the study to look at the effect of Mesalazine on the gut lining.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
We are hoping that towards the end of the 3 month period diarrhoea and abdominal pain will improve. The drug has been used for many years and the side effects are well recognised. About 1 in 10 of the patients will not tolerate the drug because of nausea or abdominal discomfort and only rarely (less and one in a thousand) will there be any serious adverse effects.

Where is the study run from?
The Nottingham Digestive Diseases Biomedical Research Unit

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
The study started in October 2010 and is planned to end in May 2013.

Who is funding the study?
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council (MRC)

Who is the main contact?
Dr Ching Lam
ching.lam@nottingham.ac.uk

Contact information

Prof Robin Spiller
Scientific

Nottingham Digestive Diseases Biomedical Research Unit
C-Floor, South Block
Queen’s Medical Centre
Nottingham
NG7 2UH
United Kingdom

Study information

Study designMulticentre two-arm parallel group double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleEfficacy and mode of action of mesalazine in the treatment of diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D): a multicentre parallel group randomised controlled trial
Study acronymMIBS
Study objectivesThe purpose of the trial is to define the clinical benefit and possible mediators of the benefit of mesalazine in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with diarrhoea. The primary endpoint is to assess the effect of mesalazine on stool frequency.

We will therefore evaluate symptoms (primarily bowel frequency) and markers reflecting mast cell activation and small bowel tone.

Link to EME project website: http://www.eme.ac.uk/projectfiles/092016info.pdf

Please note that as of 13/01/2011 the anticipated start and end dates of this trial have been updated. The previous dates were as follows:
Previous anticipated start date: 01/05/2010
Previous anticipated end date: 30/04/2013
Ethics approval(s)Not provided at time of registration
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedDiarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D)
InterventionCurrent Interventions as of 13/01/2011:
Mesalazine granules or matching placebo for 12 weeks, with the week 1 of treatment at 2g, once a day, then a step increase to 2g, twice a day for the remainder of the 12 weeks.

Previous Interventions:
Mesalazine versus placebo treatment for 12 weeks. 2 week run-in, 12 weeks treatment, no follow up. Oral (granules) - dose to be confirmed
Intervention typeDrug
Pharmaceutical study type(s)
PhasePhase IV
Drug / device / biological / vaccine name(s)Mesalazine
Primary outcome measureAverage stool frequency during weeks 11 - 12 of the treatment period.
Secondary outcome measuresCurrent secondary outcome measures as of 13/01/2011:
Clinical secondary endpoints:
1. Average daily severity of abdominal pain on a 0 - 10 scale
2. Days with urgency during weeks 11 - 12 post-randomisation
3. Mean stool consistency using Bristol Stool Form Score
4. Global satisfaction with control of IBS symptoms as assessed from the answer to the question "Have you had satisfactory relief of your IBS symptoms? Yes/No"

Mechanistic secondary endpoints:
1) Mast cell tryptase release during 6 hour biopsy incubation
2) IL-1β, TNF-a, histamine and serotonin secretion during same incubation
3) Small bowel tone assessed by volume of fasting small bowel water
4) Faecal Tryptases
5) Difference in primary outcome measure between those with different TNFSF15 polymorphism will be assessed using ANOVA

Ancillary secondary endpoints:
1) EQ-5D
2) CDC HRQOL4
3) HADS
4) PHQ-15

Previous secondary outcome measures:
Clinical secondary endpoints:
1. Average daily severity of abdominal pain on a 0 - 10 scale
2. Days with urgency during weeks 11 - 12 post-randomisation
3. Mean stool consistency using Bristol Stool Form Score
4. Global satisfaction with control of IBS symptoms as assessed from the answer to the question "Have you had satisfactory relief of your IBS symptoms? Yes/No"

Mechanistic secondary endpoints:
5. Mast cell tryptase release during 6-hour biopsy incubation
6. Interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), histamine and serotonin secretion during same incubation
7. Small bowel tone assessed by volume of fasting small bowel water

Ancillary secondary endpoints, measured at time 0 and 12 weeks (before and after treatment):
8. EQ-5D (standardised instrument for use as a measure of health outcome)
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Health-Related Quality-of-Life, 4-item set of Healthy Days core questions (CDC HRQOL4)
Overall study start date01/10/2010
Completion date30/09/2013

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
Upper age limit75 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participants108
Key inclusion criteriaCurrent inclusion criteria as of 13/01/2011:
1) Male or Female patients aged 18-75 years able to give informed consent.
2) Patients should all have had a colonoscopy within the last 12 months to exclude microscopic or any inflammatory colitis. (If not, but they have had a negative colonoscopy within 5 years and symptoms are unchanged, then a sigmoidoscopy and mucosal biopsy of the left colon would be sufficient to exclude microscopic or any inflammatory colitis).
3) IBS-D Patients meeting Rome III criteria prior to screening phase.
4) Patients with ≥25% soft (score >4) and <25% hard (score 1 or 2) stools during the screening phase, as scored by the daily symptom and stool diary*.
5) Patients with an average stool frequency of 3 or more per day during the screening phase*.
6) Satisfactory completion of the daily stool and symptom diary during the screening phase at the discretion of the investigator.
7) Women of child bearing potential willing and able to use at least one highly effective contraceptive method throughout the study. In the context of this study, an effective method is defined as those which result in low failure rate (i.e. less than 1% per year) when used consistently and correctly such as: implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, sexual abstinence or vasectomised partner.

*If inclusion criterion 4 and/or 5 is/are not met but the results are considered atypical (as observed from medical history and patient recall) then the patient can be re-screen on 1 occasion only.

Previous inclusion criteria:
1. IBS-D patients meeting Rome III criteria
2. Male or female patients aged 18 - 75 years
3. Able to give informed consent
Key exclusion criteriaCurrent exclusion criteria as of 13/01/2011:
1) Women who are pregnant or breast feeding
2) Prior abdominal surgery which may cause bowel symptoms similar to IBS (note appendectomy and cholecystectomy will not be an exclusion)
3) Patients unable to stop anti-muscarinics, anti-spasmodics, high dose tricyclic antidepressants (i.e. above 50 mg/day), opiates / anti-diarrhoeal drugs*, NSAIDs (occasional over the counter use and topical formulations are allowed), long-term antibiotics, other anti-inflammatory drugs or 5-ASA containing drugs.
4) Patients on selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors and low dose tricyclic antidepressants (i.e. up to 50 mg/day) for at least 3 months previous unwilling to remain on a stable dose for the duration of the trial.
5) Patients with other gastro-intestinal diseases including colitis and Crohn’s disease.
6) Patients with the following conditions: Renal impairment, severe hepatic impairment or salicylate hypersensitivity.
7) Patients currently participating in another trial or have been in a trial within the previous 3 months
8) Patients who in the opinion of the investigator are considered unsuitable due to inability to comply with instructions
9) Patients with serious concomitant diseases e.g. cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological etc.

*Loperamide is allowed as rescue medication through-out the trial, however if >2 doses / week are taken during the screening phase then they are not eligible, though they can be re-screened on 1 occasion only.

Previous exclusion criteria:
1. Women who are pregnancy or breast feeding or women of child bearing potential who are not willing to use medically acceptable forms of contraception during the study, (e.g. implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, sexual abstinence or vasectomised partners)
2. Prior abdominal surgery which may cause bowel symptoms similar to IBS (note appendectomy and cholecystectomy will not be an exclusion)
3. Patients unable to stop anti-diarrhoeal drugs, non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (occasional over the counter use is allowed), other anti-inflammatory drugs (azathioprine or related drugs) or already taking 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) containing drugs.
4. Patients with other gastro-intestinal diseases including colitis and Crohn's disease
5. Patients with the following conditions: renal impairment, severe hepatic impairment or salicylate hypersensitivity
6. Patients currently participating in another trial or have been in a trial within the previous 3 months
7. Patients who in the opinion of the investigator are considered unsuitable due to inability to comply with instructions
Date of first enrolment01/10/2010
Date of final enrolment30/09/2013

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

Nottingham Digestive Diseases Biomedical Research Unit
Nottingham
NG7 2UH
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

University of Nottingham (UK)
University/education

University Park
Nottingham
NG7 2RD
England
United Kingdom

Website http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/01ee9ar58

Funders

Funder type

Government

Medical Research Council (MRC)/National Institutes of Health Research (NIHR) (UK) - Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Programme (ref: 09/20/16)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Protocol article protocol 09/01/2013 Yes No
Results article results 01/01/2016 Yes No

Editorial Notes

30/08/2018: Publication reference added.