Yorkshire patients needed for irritable bowel syndrome trial

Patients in GP surgeries across West Yorkshire are being invited to take part in a large trial of low-dose amitriptyline for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Researchers from the Universities of Leeds, Southampton and Bristol are coordinating the trial, which is now open for recruitment. 

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common gut disorder affecting one in ten people. Abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habit affect patients’ quality of life substantially, and can force them to take days off work. 

Low-dose amitriptyline is recommended as a treatment option for people who have persistent, troublesome IBS symptoms. It is thought to work at low doses in IBS because it has pain-relieving properties and changes bowel activity. However, there have been no large studies done in primary care to test whether or not it works. Find out more about this project.