Racecadotril Efficacy in the Symptomatic Treatment of Adult Acute Diarrhoea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The efficacy of racecadotril (RC), an intestinal antisecretory drug acting via an enkephalinase inhibition, was reviewed in paediatric acute diarrhoea but not yet in adults. Objective: To estimate the effectiveness of RC in the symptomatic treatment of acute diarrhoea in adults. Data Sources: A systematic review of MedLine, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, DARE, and Embase (up to November 2013). Additional studies were identified by contacting clinical experts and the manufacturer. Study Selection and Appraisal: Randomized Controlled Trials performed in adults suffering from acute diarrhoea using RC in one treatment arm. Independent extraction of articles using predefined data fields, and methodological quality measurement assessment. All randomised trials performed in adults suffering from acute diarrhoea with RC as the studied group. Statistics: The main efficacy endpoint was diarrhoea duration defined as time to recovery compared between groups by survival techniques and converted into hazard ratio (HR). We exclusively used a random-effect meta-analytic model. Constipation proportion was the main safety endpoint, evaluated between treatments by the Relative Risks (RR). Results: Twelve randomised trials (2619 patients) met inclusion criteria. Duration of diarrhoea was much shorter in the RC group, the proportion of patients having recovered at any time of the treatment period was 65% higher in the RC group, compared with placebo (HR = 1.65 [1.38-1.97], p < 0.00001, n= 1001). Duration of diarrhoea was similar in the RC and loperamide groups (HR = 1.08 [0.95-1.22], p = 0.24, n = 1618). The proportions of constipated patients were similar in the RC and placebo groups 0.95 [0.24-3.68], p = 0.97), however, about 3 times more constipated patients were found in the loperamide group compared with the RC group (RR = 0.34 [0.22-0.51], p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Compared to placebo, RC is characterized by a clinically relevant earlier remission of diarrhoea. When compared to loperamide, diarrhoea duration was similar, however, significantly fewer secondary constipation adverse effects were observed.