Elobixibat Improves Constipation in Chronic Kidney Disease

MONDAY, March 21, 2022 (HealthDay News) — For patients with moderate- to end-stage chronic kidney disease, elobixibat is associated with improvement in constipation and lipid metabolism, according to a study recently published in Frontiers in Medicine.

Momoko Matsuyama, M.D., from Jichi Medical University in Saitama, Japan, and colleagues examined the effects of elobixibat on constipation and lipid metabolism among patients with moderate- to end-stage chronic kidney disease. In 42 patients, stool frequency and serum lipid parameters were analyzed retrospectively before and after four weeks of elobixibat administration.

The researchers found that regardless of whether patients were undergoing dialysis, were on concomitant laxatives, or were administered elobixibat before or after breakfast, elobixibat increased stool frequency from 0.5 ± 0.4 to 1.1 ± 90.6 per day. In addition, there was a reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration with elobixibat, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration increased and there was no change in triglyceride concentration. Two patients had adverse effects (nausea and diarrhea). After initiation of elobixibat, only phosphate concentration correlated with the change in stool frequency.

“We found that elobixibat improved constipation and lipid metabolism in patients with renal impairment, without serious adverse events,” the authors write. “We also found that phosphate concentration was correlated with the change in stool frequency after initiation of elobixibat.”

Abstract/Full Text