Colon Transit Time Test in Korean Children with Chronic Functional Constipation

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Digestive Health
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Lifestyle and dietary habits vary among ethnic groups, influencing bowel function.
• Chronic functional constipation is a common pediatric issue requiring accurate diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present colon transit time (CTT) test results in Korean children diagnosed with chronic functional constipation.
• To establish baseline CTT values and patterns specific to this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 190 Korean children with chronic constipation (Rome III criteria) who underwent CTT.
• Exclusion of 225 children based on CTT results, defecation diaries, and clinical data.
• Statistical analysis using Shapiro-Wilk, Mann-Whitney U, and chi-square tests.

Main Results:

• The encopresis group exhibited a significantly longer median CTT (54 hours) than the non-encopresis group (40.2 hours).
• Subgroup analysis revealed varying CTT in normal transit, outlet obstruction, and slow transit categories for both encopresis and non-encopresis groups.
• The non-encopresis group predominantly showed normal transit (54.5%), while the encopresis group had a higher proportion of slow transit (55.6%).

Conclusions:

• The CTT test provides valuable diagnostic patterns for Korean children experiencing chronic constipation.
• This study establishes reference values for CTT in this specific pediatric population, aiding in diagnosis and management.