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Childhood constipation: longitudinal follow-up beyond puberty

Rijk van Ginkel1, Johannes B Reitsma, Hans A Büller

  • 1Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Emma Children's Hospital/Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Gastroenterology
|August 2, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Childhood constipation often persists into adulthood, with 30% of patients still experiencing symptoms past puberty. Successful treatment rates reach 60% at one year but relapses are common, especially in boys.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Clinical Prognosis Studies

Background:

  • Limited data exist on the long-term prognosis of childhood constipation.
  • Understanding persistence into adulthood is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the long-term outcomes and prognosis of childhood constipation.
  • To assess the persistence of constipation into adulthood.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective follow-up of 418 constipated children (aged >5 years) after intensive treatment.
  • Data collected annually for up to 8 years using standardized questionnaires.

Main Results:

  • 60% of children achieved successful treatment at 1 year, rising to 80% by 8 years.
  • 30% of patients aged 16+ years still had constipation.
  • Relapses occurred in 50% of successfully treated children, more frequently in boys.

Conclusions:

  • Intensive initial treatment leads to successful outcomes in 60% of children within a year.
  • A significant proportion (one-third) of patients experience persistent constipation beyond puberty.
  • Findings challenge the belief that childhood constipation resolves spontaneously during puberty.
Abstract

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