Use of Rifaximin in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treatment

Abstract

Introduction and purpose of the work: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects up to 10% of the population. The deterioration in health-related quality of life in IBS patients has been shown to be comparable to, and perhaps even more severe than, other serious chronic organic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, hypertension, and end-stage renal disease. The aim of the study is to present a new method of IBS treatment.

State of knowledge: There are four main types of IBS: Constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C), Diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D), Fluctuating IBS (IBS-M), and the unclassified form of IBS (IBS-U). Disturbances in entero-brain interactions play a key role in its multifactorial etiopathogenesis. In patients with IBS, quantitative and qualitative disturbances in the composition of the intestinal microbiota can be found. So far, it has not been possible to clearly establish the cause of the disease, so there is no possibility of causal therapy and effective cure. Both non-pharmacological methods and drugs, including rifaximin α, have been used in IBS therapy.

Summary: Rifaximin has a positive effect on the symptoms of IBS. In clinical trials conducted in patients with IBS, the use of rifaximin for 2 weeks was associated with a reduction in the severity of joint symptoms, bloating, abdominal pain and discomfort, and an improvement in stool consistency within 4 and 12 weeks, and did not increase the risk of side effects. In the forms: with predominant diarrhea, mixed and unclassified, in order to reduce the overall symptoms as well as reduce the severity of flatulence and / or diarrhea, a 14-day therapy with rifaximin α is recommended.