A recent clinical trial in ‘Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition’ investigated the effectiveness and safety of Linaclotide, a medication approved in the United States for treating functional constipation in children aged 6 to 17 years. Directed across multiple centres, the study by Carlo D Lorenzo et al. enrolled 173 children in the age group of 6 to 17 years diagnosed with functional constipation as per the Rome III criteria.

These children were randomly allocated to receive either Linaclotide at different doses or a placebo over 4 weeks. The key measure of efficacy was the alteration in the weekly frequency of spontaneous bowel movements (SBM) from the start.

The outcomes indicated that Linaclotide was generally well tolerated by the pediatric population. Moreover, there was a noticeable improvement in SBM frequency with increasing doses of Linaclotide, particularly in the older age group (12 to 17 years).

The most commonly reported adverse effect was diarrhoea, although the majority of cases were mild in severity. These findings suggest a potential benefit of Linaclotide in managing FC in children, particularly at higher doses. Further evaluation of its efficacy and safety in this population is warranted, as concluded.