Colonic transit time in diabetic and nondiabetic long-term care patients

Constipation is a frequent health concern for elderly people. The increased incidence of constipation with age is mainly based on self-reported data. Only a few studies have examined this problem objectively and even fewer have carried this out in the special subpopulation of frail elderly patients.

The aim of this study was to examine colonic transit time (CTT) in frail elderly patients. We also attempted to compare CTT in diabetics and nondiabetics within this population.

45 frail elderly patients, all immobile with and without diabetes mellitus, residing permanently in long-term geriatric departments were recruited for the study. All patients underwent segmental and total CTT studies using radiopaque markers. The segmental CTT was calculated separately for the four segments of the colon (ascending, transverse, descending, and rectosigmoid) and for the total transit time which was the sum of all four segments.

The average CTT was extremely prolonged in all patients included in this study. In the diabetics the CTT was even longer with a mean total transit time of 200 +/- 144 h as compared with 143 +/- 95 h in the controls. The difference was not statistically significant. For each segment tested, the CTT was shorter in the control group, but these differences did not reach statistical significance.

The CTT is prolonged in immobile frail elderly patients. No significant differences were noted between diabetic and nondiabetic patients.