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Effects of Interferential Electrical Stimulation Plus Pelvic Floor Muscles Exercises on Functional Constipation in
Lida Sharifi-Rad1,2,3, Seyedeh-Sanam Ladi-Seyedian1,3, Navid Manouchehri1,3
1Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research Center, Pediatric Center of Excellence, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (IRI).
Insights
Combined interferential electrical stimulation and pelvic floor muscle exercises significantly improved functional constipation in children. This treatment approach demonstrated higher success rates and better outcomes compared to pelvic floor muscle exercises alone.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Gastroenterology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Functional constipation is a prevalent pediatric condition.
- Current treatments include medical and rehabilitation programs.
- There is a need for enhanced therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of combined interferential (IF) electrical stimulation and pelvic floor muscle (PFM) exercises for pediatric functional constipation.
- To compare this combined therapy against PFM exercises with sham stimulation.
Main Methods:
- A single-center, double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted with 90 children (aged 5-13 years) meeting Rome III criteria.
- Participants were randomized into two groups: IF electrical stimulation plus PFM exercises (case group) or PFM exercises plus sham stimulation (control group).
- Data collected included bowel habit diaries, constipation scores, pain scores, and quality-of-life questionnaires, assessed pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 6-month follow-up.
Main Results:
- Treatment success was significantly higher in the case group (88.4%) compared to the control group (43.2%) (P<0.003).
- The case group showed significantly lower constipation scores (median 4 vs. 8, P<0.000) and improved stool form (75.6% normalized vs. 45.5%, P<0.01) post-treatment.
- Improvements in constipation scores and stool form were sustained at 6-month follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Combined IF electrical stimulation and PFM exercises are effective in treating functional constipation in children.
- This adjuvant therapy significantly enhances the outcomes of standard medical and rehabilitation programs.
- The findings support the integration of IF electrical stimulation into pediatric constipation management protocols.
Objectives:
Functional constipation is a common condition in children. We assessed the effectiveness of combined interferential (IF) electrical stimulation and pelvic floor muscle (PFM) exercises on functional constipation in children.
Methods:
We conducted a single-center, double-blind randomized clinical trial study during 2014-2017 in Tehran, Iran. Ninety children, aged 5-13 years, who fulfilled Rome III criteria were enrolled and randomly assigned into two treatment groups. Case group (n=45) underwent IF electrical stimulation and PFM exercises, whereas the control group (n=45) received PFM exercises plus sham stimulation. A complete bowel habit diary (with concerning data on the frequency of defecation per week, stool form, and the number of fecal soiling episodes), a constipation score questionnaire, and a visual pain score were recorded before, after the treatment and 6 months later for all participants. In addition, children in both groups were assessed with a constipation-related quality-of-life questionnaire before, after the end of treatment sessions, and 6 months after the treatment.
Results:
Treatment success was achieved for 88.4% of children in the case group compared with 43.2% of children in the control group after the treatment (P<0.003). The median constipation score was reduced in both groups, with the cases having significantly lower scores after the treatment (4 vs. 8, P<0.000). Stool form normalized in 75.6% of the cases and 45.5% of the controls after the treatment (P<0.01).
Conclusions:
Our results showed that using IF electrical stimulation as an adjuvant therapy to the medical and rehabilitation programs significantly boosts the effects of treatment among these patients.
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