Constipation
Constipation is "Infrequent or difficult evacuation of feces. These symptoms are associated with a variety of causes, including low dietary fiber intake, emotional or nervous disturbances, systemic and structural disorders, drug-induced aggravation, and infections."[1]
Classification
Constipation may be classified by colonic transit time testing. The oralanal transit time the amount of time required for radiopaque markers to transit from the mouth to colon. Normal is less expelling more than 80% of markers within 67 hours[2] to 72[3] hours.
Slow-transit constipation
Slow-transit constipation is associated with hard stools.[4] In a case series of women whose oralanal transit times were over 5 days, subjects averaged one bowel movement per week.[5]
Slow-transit constipation may be associated with delayed gastric emptying in 60%[6] to 75%[7] of patients.
Slow-transit constipation may be associated with other signs of autonomic dysfunction[7]
Treatment
Dietary fiber is the principle treatment.[3] Laxatives may also be used.
Patients with slow-transit constipation may be less likely to respond to dietary fiber.[2] Although not compared to nonsurgical therapy in randomized controlled trials, various surgeries to reduce colonic time have been used.[8]
References
- ↑ Anonymous (2024), Constipation (English). Medical Subject Headings. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Voderholzer WA, Schatke W, Mühldorfer BE, Klauser AG, Birkner B, Müller-Lissner SA (January 1997). "Clinical response to dietary fiber treatment of chronic constipation". Am. J. Gastroenterol. 92 (1): 95–8. PMID 8995945. [e]
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lembo A, Camilleri M (October 2003). "Chronic constipation". N. Engl. J. Med. 349 (14): 1360–8. DOI:10.1056/NEJMra020995. PMID 14523145. Research Blogging.
- ↑ Degen LP, Phillips SF (July 1996). "How well does stool form reflect colonic transit?". Gut 39 (1): 109–13. PMID 8881820. PMC 1383242. [e]
- ↑ Preston DM, Lennard-Jones JE (January 1986). "Severe chronic constipation of young women: 'idiopathic slow transit constipation'". Gut 27 (1): 41–8. PMID 3949236. PMC 1433176. [e]
- ↑ van der Sijp JR, Kamm MA, Nightingale JM, et al (May 1993). "Disturbed gastric and small bowel transit in severe idiopathic constipation". Dig. Dis. Sci. 38 (5): 837–44. PMID 8482182. [e]
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Altomare DF, Portincasa P, Rinaldi M, et al (February 1999). "Slow-transit constipation: solitary symptom of a systemic gastrointestinal disease". Dis. Colon Rectum 42 (2): 231–40. PMID 10211501. [e]
- ↑ Peng HY, Xu AZ (December 2006). "Colonic exclusion and combined therapy for refractory constipation". World J. Gastroenterol. 12 (48): 7864–8. PMID 17203535. [e]