Abstract
Background: This open-label pilot study investigated whether the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram improves symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a functional gastrointestinal disorder with frequent psychiatric comorbidity. Method: Fifteen patients meeting Rome I criteria for IBS were administered open-label citalopram (20-40 mg/day) for 12 weeks. The study was conducted from October 2000 to August 2001. Results: Twelve (80%) of the 15 subjects reported a ≥ 50% decrease in the presence of abdominal pain, 10 (67%) reported a ≥ 50% reduction in the severity of the symptom, and 12 (80%) reported a ≥ 50% reduction in the frequency of the symptom. Approximately one half of the patients met criteria for remission (≥ 70% improvement) of abdominal pain. Conclusion: Results of this pilot study suggest that large controlled trials are needed to further evaluate the efficacy of SSRIs such as citalopram for the treatment of IBS.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 162-166 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry |
Volume | 7 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2005 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Psychiatry and Mental health