Fenfluramine challenge test predicts outcome in pharmacological treatment of patients with functional gastrointestinal disorder.

We investigated if response to the fenfluramine challenge test could predict outcome in 47 nonpsychiatric patients with chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGD) treated with mianserin, a drug closely related to mirtazepine, or placebo. Sixty milligrams of fenfluramine was given orally in the morning on nonfasting basis. Serum cortisol (COR) and prolactin (PRL) were analyzed at baseline, and after 120, 180, and 240 minutes.

Fenfluramine and idiopathic pain: a serotonergic study in non-psychiatric patients with functional gastrointestinal disorder.

Background: We investigated prolactin and cortisol response to fenfluramine in non-psychiatric patients with chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGD).

Methods: Sixty milligrams fenfluramine was given orally to 55 subjects without any DSM-III axis-1 psychopathology and 29 healthy control subjects matched for sex and age. Serum cortisol and prolactin levels were analysed at base line and after 120, 180, and 240 min.