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Effect of Bowel Cleansing on Colonic Transit Time Measurement in Children with Chronic Constipation

Paolo Quitadamo1, Nikhil Thapar2, Annamaria Staiano3

  • 1Division of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, UCL Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Department of Translational Medical Science, Section of Pediatrics, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|October 13, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Bowel preparation significantly impacts colonic transit time (CTT) in children with constipation. Cleansing the bowel alters fecal filling, affecting CTT measurements using the radio-opaque marker test.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Digestive Physiology

Background:

  • Constipation is a common pediatric issue.
  • Accurate measurement of colonic transit time (CTT) is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
  • The influence of bowel preparation on CTT in children is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effect of bowel preparation on colonic transit time (CTT) in constipated children.
  • To determine if a cleansed bowel state influences CTT measurements compared to an uncleansed state.

Main Methods:

  • A radio-opaque marker test was used to measure CTT.
  • All pediatric participants underwent two CTT tests.
  • Tests were performed under both cleansed and uncleansed bowel conditions.

Main Results:

  • Colonic fecal filling state significantly influences CTT.
  • Bowel preparation demonstrably affects CTT measurements in children.
  • The radio-opaque marker test results varied based on bowel cleansing.

Conclusions:

  • Bowel preparation is a critical factor to consider when interpreting CTT in pediatric constipation.
  • Future studies should account for bowel cleansing status in CTT assessments.
  • Understanding the impact of fecal loading is key for accurate pediatric constipation evaluation.

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