Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34180099›Full record

Observational studyThe oncologist2021

Elobixibat Effectively Relieves Chronic Constipation in Patients with Cancer Regardless of the Amount of Food Intake.

Anna Ozaki, Takaomi Kessoku, Yuki Kasai, Yuma Takeda, Naoki Okubo, Michihiro Iwaki, Takashi Kobayashi, Tsutomu Yoshihara, Yasushi Honda, Akiko Fuyuki and 7 more

Erratum issuedOpen access · bronzeAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in The oncologist, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 28% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Guideline
  2. Article
  3. Inhibition of bile acid reabsorption as a treatment for constipation.Indian journal of gastroenterology : official journal of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Anna Ozaki *Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Takaomi Kessoku *Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Yuki KasaiDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Yuma TakedaDepartment of Oncology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Naoki OkuboDepartment of Oncology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Michihiro IwakiDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Takashi KobayashiDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Tsutomu YoshiharaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Yasushi HondaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Akiko FuyukiDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Takuma HigurashiDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Hiroto IshikiDepartment of Palliative Medicine, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Masataka TaguriDepartment of Data Science, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan.
Shunsuke OyamadaDepartment of Biostatistics, Japanese Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (JORTC), JORTC Data Center, Tokyo, Japan.
Noritoshi KobayashiDepartment of Oncology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Atsushi NakajimaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Yasushi IchikawaDepartment of Oncology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan.
Yokohama City University · JPTokyo National Hospital · JP

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundConstipation is a common, distressing complication in patients with cancer receiving palliative care. Elobixibat is a novel inhibitor of the ileal bile acid transporter that is used to treat chronic constipation by stimulating bowel function. However, its efficacy in patients with cancer has not been examined. This study investigated the drug's effectiveness in patients with cancer with chronic constipation. PATIENTS AND

methodsThis prospective-sampling, single-center, observational study included hospitalized patients with cancer diagnosed, using the Rome IV criteria, with chronic constipation. Within 2 weeks of hospitalization, each participant was administered elobixibat (5-15 mg) daily until discharge. Spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs), complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs), Bristol stool form scale (BSFS) scores, and the Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life questionnaire (PAC-QOL) scores were assessed before and after elobixibat administration. We also evaluated the relationship between the amount of food consumed and the SBM frequency.

resultsAmong the 83 participants, the mean pre- and post-treatment frequencies of daily SBMs were 0.3 and 1.2 (p < .0001) and those of CSBMs were 0.1 and 0.6 (p < .0001), respectively. The mean pretreatment BSFS score was 1.6, whereas the post-treatment value was 3.5 (p < .0001); the mean PAC-QOL score (overall) improved from 1.01 to 0.74 (p = .01). There was no significant change in the daily SBM frequency between fasting and feeding states (1.2 vs. 1.3; p = .8), and there was no correlation between the amount of food intake and the SBM frequency after elobixibat administration (r = .03). Serious adverse events were not observed.

conclusionThis study showed that elobixibat is safe and effective for patients with cancer with chronic constipation, regardless of the food intake amount. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Elobixibat was effective at relieving chronic constipation in patients with various cancers. Serious adverse events were not observed, and the relief of constipation was independent of variation in food intake.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsQuality of LifeConstipationDipeptidesEatingHumansProspective StudiesThiazepinesDipeptideselobixibatThiazepinesCancerConstipationElobixibatIleal bile acid transporterPalliative care

Identifiers

PMID34180099
PMCPMC8488789
OpenAlexW3175059421

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.