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Functional constipation in childhood: current pharmacotherapy and future perspectives

Daniël Robin Hoekman1, Marc Alexander Benninga

  • 1Emma Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Centre, Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, C2-312, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. d.r.hoekman@amc.uva.nl

Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
|December 11, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Current treatments for childhood functional constipation offer limited success. Polyethylene glycol is a potential first-line option, but new drug classes require further pediatric research for efficacy and safety.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Childhood constipation is a prevalent condition, often functional, impacting quality of life.
  • Symptoms include infrequent, painful defecation and fecal incontinence.
  • Current pharmacological treatments frequently yield disappointing results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current and emerging pharmacological therapies for childhood functional constipation.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing and novel drug treatments.
  • Analysis of evidence supporting current laxative use.
  • Evaluation of new drug classes based on adult data and preliminary pediatric insights.

Main Results:

  • Limited evidence supports the efficacy of many current laxative treatments.
  • Polyethylene glycol is suggested as a suitable first-line maintenance therapy.
  • New pharmacological agents show promise, but pediatric data are scarce.

Conclusions:

  • Evidence for preferred laxative use in children is weak.
  • Further pediatric studies are essential to establish the efficacy and safety of new drug classes for functional constipation.
  • Advances in understanding gut physiology are driving new therapeutic developments.
Abstract

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