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Recent advances in chronic constipation

Ritu Walia1, Lori Mahajan, Rita Steffen

  • 1Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, The Children's Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio44195, USA.

Current Opinion in Pediatrics
|July 17, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Chronic constipation in children is common and costly. Recent research offers new diagnostic tools and treatments, improving evidence-based care and long-term outcomes for pediatric constipation.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Clinical Pediatrics

Background:

  • Chronic constipation is a frequent pediatric complaint with significant emotional and economic impact.
  • Advances in understanding pathophysiology and treatment options are emerging.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current strategies for diagnosing and treating chronic constipation in children.
  • To discuss recent advances in pathophysiology, diagnostic technologies, and therapeutic options.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent literature on chronic constipation in children.
  • Analysis of diagnostic techniques, current laxatives, and novel pharmacological approaches.
  • Discussion of long-term complications, growth effects, quality of life, and dietary fiber.

Main Results:

  • New information on diagnostic techniques and long-term complications of childhood constipation.
  • Comparative data on existing laxatives and emerging treatments with novel mechanisms.
  • Discussion of studies on growth, quality of life, and coexisting symptoms.

Conclusions:

  • Recent literature provides new, evidence-based knowledge for treating pediatric chronic constipation.
  • Understanding the scope, cost, and natural history of constipation is enhanced by long-term outcome data.
  • Newer pharmacological approaches offer optimism for managing this common pediatric issue.
Abstract

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