piperidines and Exocrine-Pancreatic-Insufficiency

19 consecutive patients admitted with severe chronic diarrhoea which had failed to respond to standard therapeutic regimen were treated with 4 to 8 mg of loperamide daily for up to 50 weeks. A marked improvement was achieved in 13 out of the 19 patients (68%). The best results were observed in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Patients with secretory diarrhoea did not improve. No major side effects were observed. It is concluded that loperamide is a highly effective and safe new drug in the treatment of patients with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Carcinoid Tumor; Chronic Disease; Colitis, Ulcerative; Crohn Disease; Diarrhea; Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency; Female; Humans; Loperamide; Male; Middle Aged; Piperidines; Short Bowel Syndrome; Time Factors