Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39779201›Full record

SynthesisJournal of neurogastroenterology and motility2025

Efficacy of Amitriptyline in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Minahil Iqbal, Sara Hira, Humza Saeed, Sufyan Shahid, Suha T Butt, Kamran Rashid, Mohammad Ahmad, Hammad Hussain, Anzalna Mughal, Gabriel P A Costa and 4 more

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of neurogastroenterology and motility, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Animal cells and systems · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Minahil IqbalAllama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9320-1228
Sara HiraFatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7304-6825
Humza SaeedRawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0256-4272
Sufyan ShahidKhawaja Muhammad Safdar Medical College, Sialkot, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9236-0822
Suha T ButtRawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8002-7005
Kamran RashidRawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0167-168X
Mohammad AhmadKing Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4340-9252
Hammad HussainIslamic International Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8773-9147
Anzalna MughalIslamic International Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1114-5683
Gabriel P A CostaFaculty of Medicine, University of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8702-5436
Fernanda GushkenFaculdade Israelita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5723-3807
Neil NeroFloyd D. Loop Alumni Library, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8391-4785
Shreya SenguptaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Akhil AnandDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4132-2690

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background/Aims: Amitriptyline is prescribed off-label for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We conducted a meta-analysis to assess its efficacy. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted until November 10, 2023, using MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to study the efficacy of amitriptyline in patients with IBS. We included all randomized controlled trials that compared amitriptyline to placebo. Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to assess the quality of studies. Meta-analyses were performed using a bivariate random-effects model. Statistical analyses were performed using R Software 4.2.3 and heterogeneity was assessed with I2 statistics. Results: Seven trials were included with 796 patients (61% female). Amitriptyline was associated with better treatment response (OR, 5.30; 95% CI, 2.47 to 11.39; Conclusions: Amitriptyline was found to be well-tolerated and effective in treating IBS compared to placebo. These findings support the use of amitriptyline for the management of IBS, particularly among patients with the IBS diarrhea subtype. Future research should focus on the dose-dependent effects of amitriptyline in IBS to better guide clinicians in personalized titration regimens.

Indexed as

Abdominal painAmitriptylineAntidepressantsDiarrheaIrritable bowel syndrometricyclic

Identifiers

PMID39779201
PMCPMC11735204

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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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.