ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to evaluate gastric emptying (GE) in pediatric patients with functional constipation. GE delay has been reported in adults with functional constipation. Gastric emptying studies were performed in 22 children with chronic constipation, fecal retention and fecal incontinence, while presenting fecal retention and after resuming regular bowel movements. Patients (18 boys, median age: 10 years; range: 7.2 to 12.7 years) were evaluated in a tertiary pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Gastric half-emptying time of water (reference range: 12 ± 3 min) was measured using a radionuclide technique immediately after first patient evaluation, when they presented fecal impaction (GE1), and when they achieved regular bowel movements (GE2), 12 ± 5 weeks after GE1. At study admission, 21 patients had reported dyspeptic symptoms, which were completely relieved after resuming regular bowel movements. Medians (and interquartile ranges) for GE1 and GE2 were not significantly different [27.0 (16) and 27.5 (21) min, respectively (P = 0.10)]. Delayed GE seems to be a common feature among children with chronic constipation and fecal retention. Resuming satisfactory bowel function and improvement in dyspeptic symptoms did not result in normalization of GE data.
Subject(s)
Child , Female , Humans , Male , Constipation/physiopathology , Gastric Emptying/physiology , Gastrointestinal Transit/physiology , Water , Chronic Disease , Constipation , Fecal Incontinence/physiopathology , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
Análise clínico-epidemiológica de crianças com Constipação Intestinal (CI). Método: estudo transversal de prevalência das crianças com CI atendidas no Ambulatório de Gastroenterologia Pediátrica da Fundação Santa Casa de Misericórdia do Pará (FSCMPA), entre agosto de 2006 a março de 2008. Resultados: houve predomínio de CI nos pacientes do sexo feminino; em 53,7% dos pacientes, os sintomas iniciaram nos primeiros 2 anos de vida e 65,9% tinham mais de 4 anos à primeira consulta especializada; 90,2% tinham fezes com calibre aumentado; 63,4% tinham fezes endurecidas e 56,1% tinham escape fecal; distensão abdominal foi encontrado em 82,9% dos pacientes e dor abdominal em 24,4%; 73,2% receberam tratamento prévio à consulta especializada e a Constipação Funcional (CF) correspondeu a 90,2% das causas de CI. Conclusão: as características clínicas e epidemiológicas das crianças pesquisadas aproximaram-se das encontradas na literatura, com predomínio da CF.
To analyze the clinical Epidemiologic profile on patients with Constipation Intestinal(CI).Methods: cross-sectional study of the children with CI assisted in the ambulatory of Pediatric Gastroenterology of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia do Pará Foundation (FSCMPA), between August 2006 and March of 2008. Results: there was a most prevalence of CI in femalepatients. In 53,7% of patients, the symptoms started before two year old age and 65,9 % of patients had 4 years old up in the first visit to the ambulatory; About 90, 2% of patients had large diameter stools; 63.4% had hard stools and 56.1% had fecal incontinence; abdominal distension was found in 82.9% of patients and abdominal pain in 24.4%; 73.2% of patients received treatment prior to specialized visit and Functional Constipation (CF) accounted in 90.2% of the causes of CI. Conclusion: the study showed similar results to those observed at other studies, with predominance of the CF.