Colchicine Improves Chronic Constipation in Patients with Colonic Inertia

These results suggest that colchicine has a place in our therapeutic armamentarium for the treatment of colonic inertia without pelvic floor dysfunction.

Treatment options for colonic inertia include laxatives, tegaserod, and agents that generally are used for other indications and can cause diarrhea. Agents in this latter group include misoprostol and colchicine. To examine the efficacy of colchicine, researchers performed a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study in 16 patients (15 women) with colonic inertia (demonstrated by transit studies) who were refractory to standard treatment. Patients had normal pelvic floor function (as determined by anorectal manometry), normal perineal descent (as determined by physical exam), and no imaging evidence of colonic obstruction.

All patients received colchicine (0.6 mg orally) and placebo 3 times daily for 4 weeks each, separate…

Reviewing Author

Douglas K. Rex, MD