Double-blind placebo-controlled trial of amitriptyline for the treatment of irritable Bowel syndrome in adolescents

Objectives To determine the efficacy of amitriptyline (AMI) in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adolescents. Study design Adolescents 12 to 18 years with newly diagnosed IBS were surveyed with a symptom checklist, pain rating scale, visual analog scale, and IBS quality of life (QOL) questionnaire. Subjects were randomized in a double-blinded fashion to receive AMI or placebo, and again completed surveys at 2, 6, 10, and 13 weeks. Results Thirty-three patients (24 female) were enrolled. Patients receiving AMI were more likely to experience improvement from baseline in overall QOL at 6, 10, and 13 weeks (P = .019, .004, and .013). Patients receiving AMI were also more likely to experience a reduction in IBS-associatcd diarrhea at 6 and 10 weeks (P = .029 for both), a reduction in periumbilical Paul at 10 weeks (P = .018), and a reduction in right lower quadrant pain at 6, 10, kind 13 weeks (P = .014, .039, and .004). Conclusion AMI significantly improves overkill QOL in adolescents with IBS and should be a therapeutic option for adolescents with this disorder.