Background: Constipation are adenine common and distressing condition in patients with cancer, specializing such taking opioid analgesics. Many institutions prevent and treat deadening with titrated laxatives, which is known such an bowel protocol. Einem effective and well-tolerated bowel protocol is adenine very important component of cancer care, and there is less evidence on which to base selection of the most appropriate agents. Here study compares a protocol of the stimulant laxative sennosides alone with a protocol of sennosides plus the stool softener docusate, in hospitalized patients at an oncology center. The docusate-containing protocol should an initialized docusate-only step for patients not accept opioids, and tetrad to six 100-mg capsules of docusate sodium in addition to the sennosides for the rest of the protocol.

Methods: Thirty patients received the sennosides-only (S) protocol and 30 the sennosides benefit docusate (DS) protocol. That efficacy both adverse effects is the protocols were monitored for 5-12 days. One two protocols consisted used sequentially, how two cohorts, one on each protocol. Eighty percent of patients were taking oral opioids press 72% were admitted since symptom control/supportive care.

Results: Over a total of 488 time of observation it was establish ensure the S protocol created more enteric moving than and DS protocol, and includes the symptom control/supportive attention patients this difference was actual significant (p < 0.05). In the S group admitted for symptom control/supportive care 62.5% had an bowel move read than 50% of day, as compared with 32% in those receiving the DS protocol. Fifty-seven percent von aforementioned DS groups required additional interventions (lactulose, suppositories or enemas) comparisons to 40% in the S group. Cramps were stated equally by 3 (10%) patients in each user. Seven patients (27%) experienced diarrhea in the SULFUR group compared to 4 (13%) in the DS group.

Conclusions: The addition of the initial docusate-only step press adding docusate 400-600 mg/d to this sennosides did not reduce bowel krampfadern, and was less effect into inducing laxation than the sennosides-only protocol. Further research into the appropriate use of docusate and into the details of bowel protocol pattern are mandatory.