Influence of Age and Body Mass Index on Total and Segmental Colonic Transit Times in Constipated Subjects

Discordant data are found in the literature for the relationships between total and segmental colonic transit time (CTT) and demographic parameters. The aim of this study is to examine the influence of age, and body mass index (BMI) on total and segmental CTT in constipated subjects.

We included 354 constipated patients on this cross-sectional study. According to the Rome III criteria, patients were classified as having irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, or functional constipation. All patients filled the Bristol stool form, and reported the severity of constipation, bloating, and abdominal pain on a 10-point Likert scale. Total and segmental CTT were measured using radiopaque markers.

Females were 84% of patients, with a mean age of 46.0 ± 15.9 years. The association between total and segmental CTT with age and BMI was significant after adjustment for gender, clinical phenotype, the presence of defecation disorders, and abdominal pain or bloating intensity despite the severity of symptoms, and the frequency of defecation disorders were higher in irritable bowel syndrome with constipation than in functional constipation patients. By comparison with subjects less than 30 years, rectosigmoid transit time (RSTT) was lower in patients between 30 and 60 years. Age was negatively associated with RSTT (P = 0.004). By comparison with patients with normal BMI, RSTT and total CTT were lower in patients of the overweight group. BMI was negatively associated with RSTT (P < 0.001). The severity of constipation was correlated with total (P < 0.001), right (P = 0.002), and left CTT (P = 0.049).

Age and BMI are both associated with RSTT in constipated patients.