Nicholas Talley MD, PhD
University of Newcastle
Australia
Title: “Effect of Amitriptyline and escitalopram on functional dyspepsia: a multicenter, randomized controlled study.”
with coauthors: G. Richard Locke, Yuri A. Saito, Ann E. Almazar, Ernest P. Bouras, Colin W. Howden, Brian E. Lacy, John K. DiBaise, Charlene M. Prather, Bincy P. Abraham, Hashem B. El-Serag, Paul Moayyedi, Linda M. Herrick, Lawrence A. Szarka, Michael Camilleri, Frank A. Hamilton, Cathy D. Schleck, Katherine E. Tilkes, Alan R. Zinsmeister Gastroenterology 2015; 149:340-9.
ABSTRACT
Background & Aims: Antidepressants are frequently prescribed to treat functional dyspepsia (FD), a common disorder characterized by upper abdominal symptoms, including discomfort or postprandial fullness. However, there is little evidence of the efficacy of these drugs in patients with FD. We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effects of antidepressant therapy on symptoms, gastric emptying (GE), and meal-induced satiety in patients with FD.
Methods: We performed a study at 8 North American sites of patients who met the Rome II criteria for FD and did not have depression or use antidepressants. Patients (n = 292; 44 ± 15 years old, 75% were female, 70% with dysmotility-like FD, and 30% with ulcer-like FD) were randomly assigned to groups given placebo, 50 mg amitriptyline, or 10 mg escitalopram for 10 weeks. The primary end point was adequate relief of FD symptoms for ≥5 weeks of the last 10 weeks (of 12). Secondary end points included GE time, maximum tolerated volume in Nutrient Drink Test, and FD-related quality of life.
Results: An adequate relief response was reported by 39 subjects given placebo (40%), 51 given amitriptyline (53%), and 37 given escitalopram (38%) (P = .05, after treatment, adjusted for baseline balancing factors including all subjects). Subjects with ulcer-like FD given amitriptyline were >3-fold more likely to report adequate relief than those given placebo (odds ratio = 3.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.1−9.0). Neither amitriptyline nor escitalopram appeared to affect GE or meal-induced satiety after the 10-week period in any group. Subjects with delayed GE were less likely to report adequate relief than subjects with normal GE (odds ratio = 0.4; 95% confidence interval: 0.2−0.8). Both antidepressants improved overall quality of life.
Conclusions: Amitriptyline, but not escitalopram, appears to benefit some patients with FD, particularly those with ulcer-like (painful) FD. Patients with delayed GE do not respond to these drugs.