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Stool consistency, but not frequency, correlates with total gastrointestinal transit time in children

Marina Russo1, Massimo Martinelli, Elisa Sciorio

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|January 15, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Stool form, not frequency, correlates with whole gut transit time (WGTT) in children. The Bristol Stool Form Scale reliably assesses intestinal transit rate in pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Digestive Health
  • Clinical Research

Background:

  • Assessing gut transit time in children is crucial for diagnosing and managing functional constipation.
  • The Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) is commonly used to categorize stool consistency, but its reliability in predicting transit time in pediatric populations requires further validation.
  • Stool frequency is often used as a proxy for bowel regularity, but its direct correlation with actual gut transit time in children is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between stool characteristics (consistency and frequency) and whole gut transit time (WGTT) in children.
  • To determine if the Bristol Stool Form Scale is a reliable indicator of intestinal transit rate in pediatric patients.
  • To compare the predictive value of stool form versus stool frequency for WGTT in both constipated and non-constipated children.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, observational, case-control study enrolled 44 children with functional constipation and 36 healthy controls.
  • Participants completed a 1-week stool diary and a validated questionnaire for functional constipation (Rome III criteria).
  • Whole gut transit time (WGTT) was measured using the radiopaque markers test.

Main Results:

  • A significant inverse correlation was found between stool form (assessed by BSFS) and WGTT in both constipated and non-constipated children (correlation coefficient -0.84, P<.001).
  • No significant correlation was observed between stool frequency and WGTT, nor between stool frequency and stool form.
  • Multivariate logistic regression identified stool form as the sole significant predictor of WGTT (regression coefficient 2.9, OR 18.4, P<.001).

Conclusions:

  • Stool form, as assessed by the Bristol Stool Form Scale, is a reliable indicator that correlates with whole gut transit time in children.
  • Stool frequency is not a reliable measure for assessing intestinal transit rate in pediatric populations.
  • These findings support the use of the Bristol Stool Form Scale in clinical practice for evaluating gut transit in children.
Abstract

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