A Post Marketing Surveillance Study on the Safety and Effectiveness of Prucalopride in the Treatment of Chronic Constipation

A Study on the Safety and Effectiveness of Prucalopride in the Treatment of Chronic Constipation

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and effectiveness of prucalopride in the treatment of Filipino patients with chronic constipation whom prior laxatives fail to provide adequate relief.

This is a 12-week open label (all people know the identity of the intervention), multi-center, prospective (the patients are identified and then followed forward in time for the outcome of the study) observational study assessing the safety and effectiveness of prucalopride among Filipino patients with chronic constipation. Chronic constipation is a condition in which bowel movements are infrequent or incomplete for a prolonged time. The use of prucalopride should be used in accordance with the approved product label and will follow the normal medical practice of the investigators. Patients should take 2 mg prucalopride tablet orally once daily. For elderly patients (>65 years old), patients with renal impairment not requiring dialysis or patients with severe hepatic impairment, 1mg prucalopride once daily should be given. Patients will be asked to fill-up a patient diary daily for 12-weeks to monitor the bowel movement during the study period. All adverse events and concomitant medications taken by the patients during the study will be documented accordingly. Patients will be monitored during the 12-week period of observation while the patients are in prucalopride treatment.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of chronic constipation by history and physical examination, including rectal exam
• History of chronic constipation not satisfied with laxatives
• Patient reports, on average, 2 or fewer spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs) per week and 1 or more of the following for the last three months: very hard (little balls) and/or hard stools in more than 25% of bowel movements (BMs); sensation of incomplete evacuation in more than 25% of BMs; straining at defecation in more than 25% of BMs; sensation of ano-rectal obstruction or blockade in more than 25% of BMs; a need for digital manipulation to facilitate evacuation in more than 25% of BMs
• Females of childbearing potential agree to use highly effective contraceptive methods

Exclusion Criteria:

• Renal impairment requiring dialysis
• Secondary chronic constipation and organic gastrointestinal (GI) disorders
• Intestinal perforation / obstruction due to structural or functional disorder of the gut wall, obstructive ileus, severe inflammatory condition of the intestinal tract such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, toxic megacolon / rectum
• Hypersensitive to Prucalopride or to any of its components
• Patients receiving concomitant drugs known to cause QTc prolongation
• Pregnant or lactating