Review of efficacy and safety of laxatives use in geriatrics

Table 1 Controlled trials that studied use of oral laxatives in elderly

Ref.	Agent	Efficacy	Safety
Kinnunen et al[12]	Bulk + senna vs lactulose (20 mL bulk + senna, 30 mL lactulose)	Bulk with senna greater than lactulose	No drug related side effects
Passmore et al[13]	Senna + fibre vs lactulose (10 mL senna + fibre, 15 mL lactulose)	Senna - fibre greater than lactulose	No difference (most common urgency and flatulence)
Lederle et al[16]	Sorbitol vs lactulose (0 to 60 mL)	Lactulose greater than sorbital	Increase nausea in lactulose
DiPalma et al[17]	PEG vs placebo (17 g PEG)	PEG greater than placebo	Increased gastrointestinal complaints
Seinelä et al[18]	Isotonic PEG vs hypotonic PEG (12 g isotonic and hypotonic PEG)	Same for hypotonic and isotonic PEG	Hyponatremia in hypotonic PEG (Not clinically significant)
Ueno et al[20,21]	Lubiprostone vs placebo (24 mcg bid lubiprostone)	Lubiprostone greater than placebo	Increase nausea in placebo and general population
Muller-Lissner et al[25]	Prucalopride vs placebo (0.5, 1, 2 mg prucalopride)	Prucalopride greater than placebo	Increased diarrhea with dosage of Prucalopride
Camilleri et al[26]	Prucalopride vs placebo (1, 2, or 4 mg prucalopride)	Efficacy not studied	Increased diarrhea with increase dosage of prucalopride
Lembo et al[24]	Linaclotide vs placebo (75, 150, 300, 600 mcg)	Linaclotide greater than placebo	Increased GI adverse effects with increasing Linaclotide dosage

PEG: Polyethylene glycol; GI: Gastrointestinal.