Treatment of diarrhea in carcinoid syndrome with ondansetron, tropisetron, and clonidine

Am J Gastroenterol. 1995 Apr;90(4):645-8.

Abstract

A 69-yr-old man with known carcinoid syndrome treated with octreotide and interferon-alpha 2b developed diarrhea, with six to eight watery to semiliquid stools per day. Diminished stool frequency and increased stool consistency were obtained by treatment with the 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 receptor antagonists ondansetron and tropisetron. Successful alleviation of the diarrhea was also observed with the alpha 2-receptor agonist clonidine. These observations indicate that these classes of drugs should be evaluated in a controlled trial in patients with carcinoid-associated diarrhea.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antiemetics / therapeutic use*
  • Clonidine / therapeutic use*
  • Diarrhea / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Indoles / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Malignant Carcinoid Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Middle Aged
  • Ondansetron / therapeutic use*
  • Tropisetron

Substances

  • Antiemetics
  • Indoles
  • Ondansetron
  • Tropisetron
  • Clonidine