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

• Status: Unknown status
• Trial end date: 2018-02-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

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.

• Phase: Phase 4
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Jaclyn Tran
• Treatments: Lactulose; Sennosides

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• All patients in the peritoneal dialysis program in Nova Scotia who are currently taking laxatives.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Allergy or intolerance to any of the study laxatives (PEG, senna, lactulose); cognitive impairment or inability to document symptoms; known or suspected gastrointestinal obstruction or ileus; known or planned pregnancy; no laxative use in the last 3 months.