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Caffeine for intestinal transit after laparoscopic colectomy: randomized clinical trial (CaCo trial)
Fariba Abbassi1,2, Sascha A Müller3,4, Thomas Steffen1
1Department of General, Visceral, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Kantonsspital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland.
The British Journal of Surgery
|August 1, 2022
Summary
Caffeine did not speed up bowel activity after laparoscopic colectomy. This study found no significant difference in the time to first bowel movement between patients receiving caffeine and those receiving a placebo.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Clinical Trials
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Postoperative gastrointestinal (GI) motility is a concern after surgery.
- The mechanism by which coffee may influence GI motility remains unclear.
- This study investigated caffeine's effect on recovery of bowel function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if caffeine administration can shorten the time to first bowel movement after laparoscopic colectomy.
- To assess the impact of caffeine on other postoperative GI recovery parameters.
Main Methods:
- A single-center, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled superiority trial was conducted.
- Patients undergoing elective laparoscopic colectomy received either 100 mg or 200 mg of caffeine, or a placebo, three times daily.
- Primary endpoint was time to first bowel movement; secondary endpoints included colonic transit time and hospital stay duration.
Main Results:
- Sixty patients were randomized into three groups (20 per group).
- No statistically significant difference was observed in the mean time to first bowel movement across the caffeine (100 mg and 200 mg) and placebo groups (P = 0.887).
- Per-protocol analysis and colonic transit time measurements also showed no measurable benefit from caffeine.
Conclusions:
- Caffeine administration did not reduce the time to first bowel movement following laparoscopic colectomy.
- The findings suggest caffeine is not effective in accelerating GI motility recovery in this surgical context.
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