Loperamide in adult acute diarrhea

Introduction: Decrease in duration of diarrhea significantly reduces morbidity, loss of working days, hospital bed occupancy and use of hospital resources. Loperamide is an established treatment of acute diarrhea to decrease the duration and frequency of unformed stool with only rare adverse reactions. Methods: This is a descriptive, cross sectional, parallel group, single centre study done in odd and even days of the month for treatment and control group. The study was conducted from 1st to 30th September 2010 in Patan Hospital Emergency Department. Results: Out of 104 patients, 43 patients were included in Loperamide group and 63 patients were taken in supportive treatment group. Mean duration of diarrhea was 16.3 and 41.9 hours in supportive plus Loperamide group and supportive treatment only group respectively. Mean difference in duration of diarrhea was 25.6 hours 95% CI (23.9 to 27.3) (P<0.05). Similarly mean working day loss was 1.19 in group treated with Loperamide and 2.84 days in group not treated with Loperamide. Mean difference was 1.65 days CI 95% (1.45 to1.85) (P<0.05). Absolute risk of complication in Loperamide group was 6.6% Conclusion: Loperamide significantly reduces duration of diarrhea and working days lost with low rate of complications in Adult with acute non infective diarrhea.