Drugs in Focus: Domperidone.

Marco Deganello Saccomani, Maria Giovanna Puoti, Amit Assa, Marc Benninga, Ilse Julia Broekaert, Francisco Javier Martin Carpi, Jernej Dolinsek, Matjaz Homan, Emmanuel Mas, Erasmo Miele, Christos Tzivinikos, Mike Thomson, Osvaldo Borrelli

Journal: Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition 2023;77(2):e13-e22

PMID: 37159421

Abstract

Domperidone is a peripheral dopamine-2 receptor antagonist with prokinetic and antiemetic properties. Its prokinetic effects are mainly manifest in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Currently its use is restricted to relief of nausea and vomiting in children older than 12 years for a short period of time. However, among (pediatric) gastroenterologists, domperidone is also used outside its authorized indication ("off label") for treatment of symptoms associated with gastro-esophageal reflux disease, dyspepsia, and gastroparesis. Little is known about its efficacy in the treatment of GI motility disorders in children and controversial data have emerged in the pediatric literature. As its use is off label, appropriate knowledge of its efficacy is helpful to support an "off label/on evidence" prescription. Based on this, the purpose of this review is to summarize all evidence on the efficacy of domperidone for the treatment of GI disorders in infants and children and to report an overview of its pharmacological properties and safety profile.

Copyright © 2023 by European Society for European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition and North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition.

Address: From the Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK.; The Juliet Keidan Institute of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.; the Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.; the Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.; the Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.; the Department of Paediatrics, Woman's & Child's University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy.; the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University Medical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia.; the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.; the Service de Gastroentérologie, Hépatologie, Nutrition, Diabétologie et Maladies Héréditaires du Métabolisme, Hôpital des Enfants, CHU de Toulouse, F-31300 Toulouse, France, and IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAE, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France.; the Department of Translational Medicine Science, Section of Paediatrics, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.; the Paediatric Gastroenterology Department, Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.; the Centre for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Sheffield Children's Hospital, Weston Bank, Sheffield, UK.
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