Ethosuximide vs Placebo for IBS Pain
Randomized trial found no improvement in abdominal pain and higher discontinuation rates with the calcium channel blocker.
-
By
-
Olivia Anderson
-
February 20, 2026
-
-
1
Ethosuximide did not significantly reduce abdominal pain compared to placebo in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
-
2
The study involved 124 adults with IBS, randomly assigned to ethosuximide or placebo for 12 weeks.
-
3
Discontinuation rates due to adverse events were higher in the ethosuximide group at 47% compared to 22% for placebo.
-
4
Common adverse events associated with ethosuximide included headache, fatigue, and nausea.
-
5
The authors suggested future research on more selective T-type calcium channel modulators with better safety profiles.
