Clinical trial · Interventional
The Effect of Inulin Supplementation on Colorectal Surgery Outcomes
The Effect of Inulin Supplementation on Colonic Healing and Surgical Outcomes Following Colorectal Surgery
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed cancer in Canada. The most common surgical procedure in patients with CRC is an intestinal resection followed by a reconnection to rejoin the ends of the remaining bowel. Among the postoperative complications, leaking of this intestinal connection is notably feared, affecting up to 20% of patients. These leaks are characterized by impaired intestinal healing and are associated with severe infections and even death. Various studies have shown that gut microbiota, the bacteria that live in the digestive tract, plays an essential role in intestinal healing following surgery. These results support the possibility of enhancing intestinal healing through supplements that act as an energy source for gut bacteria. Indeed, animal studies have shown that inulin supplementation, a fiber commonly found in plants, improves intestinal healing following bowel surgery. However, no studies in humans have evaluated its effects on CRC surgery patients. This study aims to determine feasibility of a randomized controlled trial that assesses the effects of inulin supplementation before elective colorectal surgery.
Conditions
Conditions (1)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anastomotic Complication | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (2)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inulin | Dietary Supplement | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Placebo | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Inulin group
- description
- Patients randomized to the intervention group will receive inulin supplementation for 14 days, preceding the surgery. Inulin will be given at a dosage of 10g/day divided in two doses.
- interventionNames
- Dietary Supplement: Inulin
- type
- PLACEBO_COMPARATOR
- label
- Control group
- description
- Patients randomized to the control group will receive a placebo for 14 days, two times a day.
- interventionNames
- Other: Placebo
Primary outcomes (2)
- measure
- Change in the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) before and after treatment.
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with a colorectal cancer and who present for elective colorectal surgery Exclusion Criteria: * Emergency surgery for perforation/obstruction. * Use of antibiotics within 4 weeks prior to surgery (other than usual antibiotic prophylaxis). * Presence of preoperative ileostomy or colostomy. * Intestinal surgery within 4 weeks prior to colonic surgery. * Active asthma. * Presence of familial adenomatous polyposis.
References
Publications (0)
Data not yet available