A higher risk of inflammatory bowel disease with H2 blockers?

They cure an intestinal ulcer, but lead to IBD? An Indian meta-analysis checked if the suspicion on histamine-2-receptor antagonists is well-founded.

Comparative study on the use of medication for intestinal diseases

The study compares available literature on the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in users of H2 blockers and control groups without this medication.
Four studies with over 8,900 participants were included in the meta-analysis.
In all four studies, the use of H2 blockers was associated with a significantly higher risk of developing IBD.
Both adults and children are at increased risk.

H2 blockers and inflammatory bowel disease

H2 blockers are frequently used in clinical practice to treat ulcer conditions and are well tolerated in most cases. In recent years, some studies have suggested a link between the use of H2-receptor blockers and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The present paper analysed the relevant studies and assessed the overall risk.

Thousands of study participants

The researchers from India included four studies with over 8,900 participants in their assessment. After extensive literature research, two independent experts selected and included the studies in the analysis. The downs and black checklist was used to ensure the quality of the results.

Significant results

All four studies included showed that those taking H2 blockers had a higher risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease than the control group. The results were statistically significant. Interestingly, the increased incidence of IBD among patients taking H2 blockers also holds true in the paediatric population.

What does this mean in practice?

Use of H2 blockers, at least in the studies reviewed, is associated with an increased risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease, both for adults and children. This needs to be taken into account before starting treatment with this class of drugs. However, further studies are necessary to validate the results and make conclusive recommendations.

Source:
D'sa FF, Fernandes EZ, Kesarkar SV, Swaminathan L, Kunhikatta V, Rashid M, Thunga G, Chandran VP, Nair S. Use of histamine-2 receptor antagonists and risk of inflammatory bowel diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2022 Apr 10. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35403222.