Overall and Regional Colonic Transit Abnormalities in Elderly Patients with Constipation

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Geriatrics
• Colorectal Surgery

Background:

• Chronic constipation (CC) disproportionately affects the elderly.
• Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) can complicate the assessment of CC pathophysiology.
• Understanding colonic transit (CT) in elderly CC patients is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize colonic transit (CT) in elderly patients with chronic constipation (CC).
• To investigate the influence of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) on CT in elderly CC patients.
• To compare CT parameters between elderly CC patients and younger controls or younger CC patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 191 elderly patients (≥65 years) undergoing scintigraphic CT for CC assessment.
• Comparison of overall and regional CT with healthy controls (<65 years) and younger CC patients (<66 years).
• Documentation of PFD, comorbidities, and medications.

Main Results:

• Elderly CC patients exhibited slower overall CT compared to healthy controls.
• Overall and proximal CT in elderly CC patients were similar to younger CC patients.
• No significant difference in overall CT was observed between elderly CC patients with and without PFD.

Conclusions:

• Elderly CC patients have delayed colonic transit, comparable to younger adults with CC.
• PFD does not appear to significantly alter colonic transit in elderly CC patients.
• These findings aid in differentiating CC pathophysiology in the elderly, irrespective of PFD.