Placebo-controlled trial of misoprostol in cystic fibrosis

Seventeen children with cystic fibrosis were studied in a 6-week double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial to determine the efficacy of misoprostol, 100 μg, four times a day, in improving fat absorption in patients already on pancreatic enzyme therapy. In those patients who had greater than 90% absorption on enzyme therapy alone, no further significant increase in absorption was achieved with misoprostol administration. Those patients who had absorption of less than 90% on standardenzyme therapy showed a significant improvement with misoprostol administration (p < 0.01). One patient had a significant elevation in the eosinophil count during the period of misoprostol administration, but there were no significant changes in any other hematological or biochemical parameter. Misoprostol appears to be of benefit to those children with cystis fibrosis who have residual malabsorption on standard enzyme therapy. was only achieved in those patients with greater than 10% malabsorption while taking their usual enzyme supplements (4); however, the beneficial effect of misoprostol has not been documented in a placebo-controlled trial. The aim of this present study was to confirm the findings of the previous trials of misoprostol using a double-blind, placebo-controlled protocol. © 1990 Raven Press, Ltd., New York.