Efficacy of long term cyclic administration of the poorly absorbed antibiotic Rifaximin in symptomatic, uncomplicated colonic diverticular disease

Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of study patients

	Rifaximin plus fibers	Fibers	P
	(n =184)	(n =123)
Gender
Males	68 (37.0%)	50 (40.7%)	1NS
Females	116 (63.0%)	73 (59.3%)
Age (yr)	63.6 ± 11.7	60.7 ± 12.5	2NS
Site of diverticula
Left colon	47 (25.5%)	26 (21.1%)
Colon-sigma	59 (32.1%)	38 (30.9%)	3NS
Sigma	73 (39.7%)	56 (45.5%)
Sigma-rectum	5 (2.7%)	3 (2.4%)
Symptoms (%)
Lower abdominal pain	87.5%	90.2%	1NS
Bloating	85.9%	78.0%	1NS
Tenesmus	35.3%	29.3%	1NS
Diarrhoea	35.9%	32.5%	1NS
Abdominal tenderness	71.2%	69.1%	1NS
Symptoms score	6.4 ± 2.8	6.2 ± 2.6	1NS

¹χ² test with continuity correction;

²t test;

³χ² test.

Table 2 Mean baseline values of biochemical parameters

	Rifaximin plus fibers	Fibers	P
ESR (mm/h)	24.9 ± 17.7	22.8 ± 17.8	NS
Leukocytes (mm3)	8128.1 ± 2377.7	7836.9 ± 2019.6	NS
Neutrophils (mm3)	68.3 ± 12.1	68.7 ± 9.6	NS
Ht (%)	41.9 ± 5.3	42.2 ± 4.0	NS
Creatininemia (mg/dL)	0.97 ± 0.25	0.98 ± 0.19	NS
Blood nitrogen (mg/dL)	38.3 ± 12.7	36.5 ± 11.2	NS
Blood sodium (nmol/L)	138.8 ± 4.9	139.4 ± 17.8	NS
Potassemia (nmol/L)	4.23 ± 0.46	4.15 ± 0.35	NS
AST (IU/L)	23.9 ± 17.2	21.8 ± 10.8	NS
ALT (IU/L)	25.0 ± 23.1	22.1 ± 14.1	NS
AP (IU/L)	151.7 ± 65.4	142.4 ± 65.6	NS
γGT (IU/L)	34.8 ± 33.4	33.7 ± 26.1	NS
Total proteins (g/dL)	6.85 ± 0.58	6.90 ± 0.42	NS

t-test for corrected for multiple comparison.

Table 3 Symptom frequency (%) at baseline, after 12 and 24 mo of treatment

Mo	Rifaximin plus fibers			Fibers			Pat 24th
	0	12th	24th	0	12th	24th
Lower abdominal pain	87.5	17.2	12.9	90.2	28.8	19.2	0.051
Bloating	85.9	35.0	21.9	78.0	43.3	40.3	< 0.0021
Tenesmus	35.3	3.2	3.9	29.3	2.9	9.6	= 0.051
Diarrhoea	35.9	7.0	3.9	32.5	1.0	2.9	NS2
Abdominal tenderness	71.2	19.0	6.5	69.1	35.6	21.2	< 0.0011

¹χ² test;

²Fisher’s Exact test.

Table 4 Mean value of biochemical parameters before and at the end of treatment period

	Rifaximin plus fibers		P	Fibers		P
	Baseline	at 24 mo		Baseline	at 24 mo
ESR (mm/h)	24.8 ± 18.2	15.2 ± 14.4	< 0.001	23.2 ± 18.6	17.8 ± 15.3	< 0.05
Leukocytes (mm3)	8330.3 ± 2554.4	6515.8 ± 1393.9	< 0.001	7944.9 ± 2091.4	6918.5 ± 1719.8	< 0.01
Neutrophils (mm3)	67.8 ± 12.3	62.0 ± 10.9	< 0.005	68.9 ± 9.9	65.5 ± 8.7	< 0.03
Creatininemia (mg/dL)	0.98 ± 0.25	0.96 ± 0.21	NS	0.98 ± 0.19	0.94 ± 0.17	NS
Blood nitrogen (mg/dL)	39.4 ± 13.0	37.7 ± 10.6	NS	37.1 ± 11.3	33.7 ± 9.9	< 0.05
Blood sodium (nmol/L)	138.8 ± 5.0	140.0 ± 5.1	< 0.05	139.2 ± 5.2	139.1 ± 6.5	NS
Potassemia (nmol/L)	4.22 ± 0.45	4.21 ± 0.46	NS	4.20 ± 0.37	4.18 ± 0.30	NS
AST (IU/L)	23.2 ± 15.1	21.3 ± 12.7	NS	22.5 ± 11.1	20.8 ± 10.5	NS
ALT (U/L)	23.9 ± 14.6	21.8 ± 11.6	NS	22.7 ± 14.4	19.1 ± 8.8	< 0.05
AP (U/L)	147.3 ± 63.2	164.3 ± 65.6	< 0.05	140.6 ± 69.3	149.1 ± 62.4	NS
γGT (U/L)	33.0 ± 24.1	36.6 ± 24.3	NS	35.4 ± 27.3	30.2 ± 18.4	NS
Total proteins (g/dL)	6.85 ± 0.57	6.89 ± 0.58	NS	6.90 ± 0.44	6.78 ± 0.89	NS

t test for paired data, corrected for multiple comparison.