Trial reportGut2014
A randomised trial of ondansetron for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea.
Trial report in Gut, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 104 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
104 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 240 citations in OpenAlex.
- Major Adverse Cardiac Events with Ondansetron: A Systematic Review.Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics · 2026Pooled it
- The serotonin receptor 3E variant is a risk factor for female IBS-D.Journal of molecular medicine (Berlin, Germany) · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Efficacy and Safety of the Enterosorbent Silicolgel in Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBS-D and IBS-M: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Center Trial.Neurogastroenterology and motility · 2025Trial
- Effects of ondansetron on symptoms during a gastric emptying study and enteral lipid challenge and on daily symptoms in diabetic gastroenteropathy.Neurogastroenterology and motility · 2024Trial
- Pilot Study of Ondansetron in Improvement of Pediatric Colonoscopy Preparation Outcomes at an Urban Academic Center.JPGN reports · 2023Trial
- Trial
- A short course of oral ranitidine as a novel treatment for toddler's diarrhea: a parallel-group randomized controlled trial.BMC pediatrics · 2020Trial
- Abnormalities of mucosal serotonin metabolism and 5-HTAlimentary pharmacology & therapeutics · 2019Trial
- Trial
- Ondansetron treatment reduces rotavirus symptoms-A randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial.PloS one · 2017Trial
- Trial
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome Clinical Care Gaps and the Potential of Future Therapeutics Based on Peripheral Visceral Afferent Modulation.Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association · 2026Review
- Pathophysiology-driven use of natural products in irritable bowel syndrome: a review.Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2026Review
- Route-specific adverse effects of ondansetron: an overlooked concern in Asian clinical practice.Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2026Article
- Morbidity and Mortality of Ondansetron in Patients with Non-congenital Long QT Syndrome: A Review Article.Cardiovascular drugs and therapy · 2026Review
- Irritable bowel syndrome management: current insights.Singapore medical journal · 2026Article
- Low Anterior Resection Syndrome Evaluation and Management.Clinics in colon and rectal surgery · 2026Review
- Clinical practice guidelines for the prevention and management of postoperative nausea and vomiting (2025 edition).Journal of anesthesia and translational medicine · 2025Review
- Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Rome IV Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Functional Diarrhea Prescribed With Ondansetron: A Real-World Study.Neurogastroenterology and motility · 2025Article
44 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundIrritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea (IBS-D) is particularly debilitating due to urgency and episodic incontinence. Some 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists (5-HT3RAs) have proven effective but have serious side effects. Ondansetron, also a 5-HT3RA, has been widely used as an antiemetic with an excellent safety record for over two decades. Our aim was to assess its effectiveness in IBS-D.
methods120 patients meeting Rome III criteria for IBS-D entered a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of 5 weeks of ondansetron 4 mg versus placebo with dose titration allowed, up to two tablets three times daily in the first 3 weeks. Patients completed daily diaries documenting stool consistency using the Bristol Stool Form score. Gut transit was measured in the last week of each treatment. The primary endpoint was average stool consistency in the last 2 weeks of treatment.
resultsOndansetron significantly improved stool consistency (mean difference in stool form between ondansetron and placebo -0.9, 95% CI -1.1 to -0.6, p<0.001). Compared with placebo, patients on ondansetron experienced fewer days with urgency (p<0.001), lower urgency scores (p<0.001), reduced frequency of defaecation (p=0.002) and less bloating (p=0.002), although pain scores did not change significantly. IBS symptom severity score fell more with ondansetron than placebo (83±9.8 vs 37±9.7, p=0.001). 65% reported adequate relief with ondansetron but not placebo compared with 14% reporting relief with placebo but not ondansetron, relative risk 4.7, 95% CI 2.6 to 8.5, p<0.001.
conclusionsOndansetron relieves some of the most intrusive symptoms of IBS-D, namely loose stools, frequency and urgency.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.