Last reviewed · How we verify

NCT03219528

A Longitudinal Study to Identify IBS Phenotypes Using Fecal Microbiota and Hydrogen Breath Testing

Completed Phase 4 Results posted Last updated 27 April 2025
What this trial tests

Phase 4 trial testing Rifaximin 550 MG in Irritable Bowel Syndrome in 74 participants. Completed in 28 February 2024.

Timeline
13 February 2018
Primary endpoint
28 February 2024
28 February 2024

Quick facts

Lead sponsorUniversity of Michigan
PhasePhase 4
StatusCompleted
Study typeINTERVENTIONAL
Allocationrandomized
Designparallel
Maskingnone
Primary purposetreatment
Enrollment74
Start date13 February 2018
Primary completion28 February 2024
Estimated completion28 February 2024
Sites1 location across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

Conditions studied

Sponsor

University of Michigan

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.

Change in Mean Daily Abdominal Pain Primary · Baseline, Week 5

Change in mean daily abdominal pain was measured using a visual analog scale (VAS) after intervention compared with baseline. VAS was a scale of 0 to 10, with higher numbers indicating a higher degree of pain; 0 indicated no pain and 10 indicated severe pain.

Baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin5.2± 1.8
Low FODMAP Group5.3± 1.6
Week 5
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin3.9± 2.5
Low FODMAP Group3.8± 2.0
Change in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Symptom Severity Scale Secondary · Baseline, Week 5

The IBS Symptom Severity Scale was comprised of 5 questions each of which was on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms. The total range of the scale was 0 to 500, with 0 meaning no IBS symptoms and 500 indicating severe IBS symptoms.

Baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin281.3± 81.0
Low FODMAP Group272.0± 65.1
Week 5
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin209.3± 81.8
Low FODMAP Group194.7± 79.1
Change in Gastrointestinal System Ratings Scale (GSRS) Secondary · Baseline, Week 5

The GSRS was a disease-specific instrument of 15 items combined into five symptom clusters depicting Reflux, Abdominal Pain, Indigestion, Diarrhea, and Constipation. The GSRS had a seven-point graded Likert scale where 1 represents absence of troublesome symptoms and 7 represents very troublesome symptoms. The total range of the scale is 15 to 105 with 15 meaning low symptom burden and 105 meaning high symptom burden.

Baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin52.0± 13.2
Low FODMAP Group52.1± 13.3
Week 5
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin40.7± 11.0
Low FODMAP Group40.1± 12.2
Change in Stool Form Secondary · Baseline, Week 5

The Bristol Stool Form Scale was a diagnostic tool used to assess various digestive issues based on the type and shape of stool. The total range of the scale was 1 to 7, with 1 indicating hard stool and 7 indicating liquid stool.

Baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin5.6± 0.8
Low FODMAP Group5.6± 0.8
Week 5
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin5.0± 1.1
Low FODMAP Group5.3± 0.9
Change in Psychological Function Secondary · Baseline, Week 5

The PHQ-9 was a multipurpose instrument for screening, diagnosing, monitoring, and measuring the severity of depression. It is comprised of 9 questions, each ranging from 0 to 3 with higher values indicating more severe depression symptoms. The total range of the scale was 1 to 27, with 1 indicating no or minimal depression and 27 indicating severe depression.

Baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin8.6± 6.5
Low FODMAP Group8.3± 6.2
Week 5
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin6.2± 4.9
Low FODMAP Group5.8± 4.3
Change in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Quality of Life Instrument (IBS-QOL) Secondary · Baseline, Week 5

IBS-QOL was a condition-specific instrument for assessing health-related quality of life among persons with IBS. The IBS-QOL was comprised of 34 questions, each with a 5-point scale where the higher the value indicated the higher quality of life. The total range of the scale was 0 to 100, with 0 indicating no quality of life and 100 indicating extremely good quality of life.

Baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin53.6± 19.5
Low FODMAP Group58.9± 21.5
Week 5
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin62.6± 20.4
Low FODMAP Group67.8± 18.5
24-hour Diet Recall/Intake - Lactose Secondary · Baseline, Week 5

Participants completed entries using the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR), which was a Windows-based dietary analysis program designed for the collection and analyses of 24-hour dietary recalls, food records, menus, and recipes. The NDSR was incapable of collecting data on all FODMAP-type foods, aside from lactose and gluten. The results represent data from lactose as a surrogate for all other FODMAP foods.

Baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin4.1± 5.5
Low FODMAP Group7.3± 9.6
Week 5
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin5.1± 6.7
Low FODMAP Group1.4± 2.3
Change in Mean Daily Bloating Primary · Baseline, Week 5

Change in mean daily bloating was measured using a visual analog scale (VAS) after intervention compared with baseline. VAS was a scale of 0 to 10, with higher numbers indicating a higher degree of bloating; 0 indicated no bloating and 10 indicated severe bloating.

Baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin4.9± 1.9
Low FODMAP Group5.1± 2.2
Week 5
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin4.0± 2.4
Low FODMAP Group3.7± 2.1
24-hour Diet Recall/Intake - Gluten Secondary · Baseline, Week 5

Participants completed entries using the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR), which was a Windows-based dietary analysis program designed for the collection and analyses of 24-hour dietary recalls, food records, menus, and recipes. The NDSR was incapable of collecting data on all FODMAP-type foods, aside from lactose and gluten. The results represent data from gluten as a surrogate for all other FODMAP foods.

Baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin6.7± 6.0
Low FODMAP Group5.7± 5.6
Week 5
GroupValue95% CI
Rifaximin7.2± 6.5
Low FODMAP Group1.7± 4.2

Adverse events — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Time frame: 5 weeks. Reporting threshold: 0%. Adverse-event reports describe events observed during the trial — not all are caused by the drug.

Rifaximin
Serious: 0/36 (0%)
Deaths: 0/36
Low FODMAP Group
Serious: 0/29 (0%)
Deaths: 0/29
Other adverse events (15 terms — click to expand)

ReactionSystemRifaximinLow FODMAP Group
Abdominal Pain and crampingGastrointestinal disorders
Bloating and gasGastrointestinal disorders
HeartburnGastrointestinal disorders
NauseaGastrointestinal disorders
DiarrheaGastrointestinal disorders
ConstipationGastrointestinal disorders
HeadacheGeneral disorders
Dizziness/Light-headednessGeneral disorders
BelchingGastrointestinal disorders
Increased urinationRenal and urinary disorders
Easily sunburnedSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
FatigueGeneral disorders
SwellingGeneral disorders
Blurry VisionEye disorders
Mucus in StoolGastrointestinal disorders

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03219528 adverse events section.

Sponsor's own description

Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) is a highly prevalent but poorly understood condition with limited treatment options. Current therapies, including a nonabsorbable antibiotic rifaximin or diet low in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP), show efficacy in 50% or less of patients. In this proposal, participants with IBS-D will be randomized to receive either rifaximin or low FODMAP dietary intervention.

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

  1. A Randomized Trial of Rifaximin vs Low Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols Diet for Symptom Outcomes and Microbiome Changes in Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
    Lee A, Rao K, Singh P, Fehlman J, et al · · 2026 · PMID 42025708 · DOI 10.1016/j.cgh.2026.04.014

Verify or expand the search:

Other trials of Rifaximin 550 MG

Trials testing the same drug.

Other recruiting trials for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Currently open trials in the same condition.

Other University of Michigan trials

Trials by the same sponsor.

Verify against primary sources

Data sources for this page

Drug Landscape aggregates and links these public records for informational use only. Always verify against the primary source before clinical or regulatory decisions. Canonical URL: https://druglandscape.com/trial/NCT03219528.

Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing