Objective: To demonstrate that alvimopan (6 or 12 mg) accelerates recovery of gastrointestinal (GI) function in patients undergoing laparotomy for bowel resection or radical hysterectomy.
Summary background data: Postoperative ileus (POI) following laparotomy may increase morbidity and extend hospitalization. Opioids can contribute to the duration of POI. Alvimopan is a novel opioid receptor antagonist in development for the management of POI.
Methods: A total of 510 patients scheduled for bowel resection or radical hysterectomy were randomized (1:1:1) to receive alvimopan 6 mg, alvimopan 12 mg, or placebo orally > or =2 hours before surgery, then twice a day (b.i.d.) until hospital discharge or for up to 7 days. The primary efficacy end point was a composite of time to recovery of upper and lower GI function. An associated secondary end point was time to hospital discharge order written.
Results: The modified intent-to-treat population included 469 patients (451 bowel resection and 18 radical hysterectomy patients). Time to recovery of GI function was accelerated for the alvimopan 6 mg (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.28; P < 0.05) and 12 mg (HR = 1.54; P < 0.001) groups with a mean difference of 15 and 22 hours, respectively, compared with placebo. The time to hospital discharge order written was also accelerated in the alvimopan 12 mg group (HR = 1.42; P = 0.003) with a mean difference of 20 hours compared with placebo. The incidence of adverse events was similar among treatment groups.
Conclusions: Alvimopan accelerated GI recovery and time to hospital discharge order written compared with placebo in patients undergoing laparotomy and was well tolerated.