Peritoneal Dialysis Pilot Study: Evaluating Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) for Constipation

Summary

Constipation is a common condition, which occurs one in four Canadians. Maintaining regular bowel movements is imperative because constipation can affect the quality of PD dialysate flow and result in an unwanted effect on the dialysis adequacy. There is limited data on how to best manage constipation in the peritoneal dialysis population. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is an osmotic laxative that is becoming popular for prevention and treatment of constipation across Canada. Although some PD programs in Canada have already converted to PEG for management of constipation, more research in this population would help guide practice. For now, the current PD bowel regimen at the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) includes daily preventative therapy using a stimulant laxative, senna, along with an osmotic laxative, lactulose, for acute constipation. The investigators will review all patients in the NSHA PD program who have regular or recent laxative use for participation in this study. Patients included in this study will be randomly assigned to the Current Bowel Protocol or the PEG Bowel Protocol for 8 weeks. The goal is to determine if the PEG Bowel Protocol is as effective and safe for the prevention of constipation as the Current Bowel Protocol used in the PD Program. The investigators will use bowel function diaries and patient surveys to determine efficacy and safety outcomes.

Timeline

Start

2017-07-07

Primary completion

2018-04-01

Completion

2018-06-05

Publications

• Background Mimidis K, Mourvati E, Kaliontzidou M, Papadopoulos V, Thodis E, Kartalis G, Vargemezis V. Efficacy of polyethylene glycol in constipated CAPD patients. Perit Dial Int. 2005 Nov-Dec;25(6):601-3. No abstract available.
• Background Setyapranata S, Holt SG. The Gut in Older Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis. Perit Dial Int. 2015 Nov;35(6):650-4. doi: 10.3747/pdi.2014.00341.
• Background Pare P, Ferrazzi S, Thompson WG, Irvine EJ, Rance L. An epidemiological survey of constipation in canada: definitions, rates, demographics, and predictors of health care seeking. Am J Gastroenterol. 2001 Nov;96(11):3130-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2001.05259.x.
• Background Sutton D, Dumbleton S, Allaway C. Can increased dietary fibre reduce laxative requirement in peritoneal dialysis patients? J Ren Care. 2007 Oct-Dec;33(4):174-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-6686.2007.tb00068.x.
• Background Sutton D, Ovington S, Engel B. A multi-centre, randomised trial to assess whether increased dietary fibre intake (using a fibre supplement or high-fibre foods) produces healthy bowel performance and reduces laxative requirement in free living patients on peritoneal dialysis. J Ren Care. 2014 Sep;40(3):157-63. doi: 10.1111/jorc.12056. Epub 2014 Mar 20.
• Background Dessau RB, Olsen OB, Frifelt JJ, Skott H. Influence of psyllium seed husk on azotemia, electrolytes, and bowel regulation in patients on CAPD. Perit Dial Int. 1989;9(4):351. No abstract available.
• Background Pare P. The approach to diagnosis and treatment of chronic constipation: suggestions for a general practitioner. Can J Gastroenterol. 2011 Oct;25 Suppl B(Suppl B):36B-40B. doi: 10.1155/2011/368189.
• Background Liu LW. Chronic constipation: current treatment options. Can J Gastroenterol. 2011 Oct;25 Suppl B(Suppl B):22B-28B.
• Background Schuster BG, Kosar L, Kamrul R. Constipation in older adults: stepwise approach to keep things moving. Can Fam Physician. 2015 Feb;61(2):152-8. No abstract available.
• Background Ramkumar D, Rao SS. Efficacy and safety of traditional medical therapies for chronic constipation: systematic review. Am J Gastroenterol. 2005 Apr;100(4):936-71. doi: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2005.40925.x.
• Background Hsieh C. Treatment of constipation in older adults. Am Fam Physician. 2005 Dec 1;72(11):2277-84.
• Background Di Palma JA, Smith JR, Cleveland Mv. Overnight efficacy of polyethylene glycol laxative. Am J Gastroenterol. 2002 Jul;97(7):1776-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2002.05840.x.
• Background Attar A, Lemann M, Ferguson A, Halphen M, Boutron MC, Flourie B, Alix E, Salmeron M, Guillemot F, Chaussade S, Menard AM, Moreau J, Naudin G, Barthet M. Comparison of a low dose polyethylene glycol electrolyte solution with lactulose for treatment of chronic constipation. Gut. 1999 Feb;44(2):226-30. doi: 10.1136/gut.44.2.226.
• Background Lee-Robichaud H, Thomas K, Morgan J, Nelson RL. Lactulose versus Polyethylene Glycol for Chronic Constipation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010 Jul 7;(7):CD007570. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007570.pub2.
• Background Christie AH, Culbert P, Guest JF. Economic impact of low dose polyethylene glycol 3350 plus electrolytes compared with lactulose in the management of idiopathic constipation in the UK. Pharmacoeconomics. 2002;20(1):49-60. doi: 10.2165/00019053-200220010-00005.
• Background Taylor RR, Guest JF. The cost-effectiveness of macrogol 3350 compared to lactulose in the treatment of adults suffering from chronic constipation in the UK. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2010 Jan 15;31(2):302-12. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2009.04191.x. Epub 2009 Nov 3.
• Background Longstreth GF, Thompson WG, Chey WD, Houghton LA, Mearin F, Spiller RC. Functional bowel disorders. Gastroenterology. 2006 Apr;130(5):1480-91. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2005.11.061.
• Background Bove A, Pucciani F, Bellini M, Battaglia E, Bocchini R, Altomare DF, Dodi G, Sciaudone G, Falletto E, Piloni V, Gambaccini D, Bove V. Consensus statement AIGO/SICCR: diagnosis and treatment of chronic constipation and obstructed defecation (part I: diagnosis). World J Gastroenterol. 2012 Apr 14;18(14):1555-64. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i14.1555.
• Background Yiannakou Y, Piessevaux H, Bouchoucha M, Schiefke I, Filip R, Gabalec L, Dina I, Stephenson D, Kerstens R, Etherson K, Levine A. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of prucalopride in men with chronic constipation. Am J Gastroenterol. 2015 May;110(5):741-8. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2015.115. Epub 2015 Apr 14.
• Background Dipalma JA, Cleveland MV, McGowan J, Herrera JL. A randomized, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial of polyethylene glycol laxative for chronic treatment of chronic constipation. Am J Gastroenterol. 2007 Jul;102(7):1436-41. doi: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2007.01199.x. Epub 2007 Mar 31.
• Background Marquis P, De La Loge C, Dubois D, McDermott A, Chassany O. Development and validation of the Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life questionnaire. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2005 May;40(5):540-51. doi: 10.1080/00365520510012208.
• Background Frank L, Kleinman L, Farup C, Taylor L, Miner P Jr. Psychometric validation of a constipation symptom assessment questionnaire. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1999 Sep;34(9):870-7. doi: 10.1080/003655299750025327.
• Background Gokal R, Alexander S, Ash S, Chen TW, Danielson A, Holmes C, Joffe P, Moncrief J, Nichols K, Piraino B, Prowant B, Slingeneyer A, Stegmayr B, Twardowski Z, Vas S. Peritoneal catheters and exit-site practices toward optimum peritoneal access: 1998 update. (Official report from the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis). Perit Dial Int. 1998 Jan-Feb;18(1):11-33. No abstract available.

Drugs

Indications