Polyethylene glycol versus lactulose in the treatment of chronic functional constipation in children: A randomized clinical trial

Background and aims: Constipation in children is a serious problem that affects both children and their families. We aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of lactulose and polyethylene glycol in the treatment of constipation in children. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was performed on 92 p...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hassan Talakesh, Alizamen Salehifard Jouneghani, Karamali Kasiri, Farnoush Kochekian, Afsaneh Malekpour Tehrani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://j.skums.ac.ir/PDF/jskums-26-140.pdf
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850277691863859200
author Hassan Talakesh
Alizamen Salehifard Jouneghani
Karamali Kasiri
Farnoush Kochekian
Afsaneh Malekpour Tehrani
author_facet Hassan Talakesh
Alizamen Salehifard Jouneghani
Karamali Kasiri
Farnoush Kochekian
Afsaneh Malekpour Tehrani
author_sort Hassan Talakesh
collection DOAJ
description Background and aims: Constipation in children is a serious problem that affects both children and their families. We aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of lactulose and polyethylene glycol in the treatment of constipation in children. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was performed on 92 patients referred to a private gastroenterology clinic in Shahrekord, Iran. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups receiving polyethylene glycol or lactulose. Defecation patterns and complications were assessed 0, 3, 7, and 21 days after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test, repeated measures test, Mann–Whitney U test in SPSS version 16.0. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: No difference was found between the two interventional groups in terms of the frequency of painful defecation (P=0.31), fecal incontinence (P=0.50), hard stools (P=0.69), fear of defecation (P=0.09), poor appetite (P=0.29), straining at stool (P=0.50), and abdominal pain (P=0.07) within a follow-up period of 21 days. There were significant differences in the frequency of defecation on days 7 and 21 (P=0.02). The mean frequencies of abdominal cramps were significantly higher in those who received lactulose (P=0.001). The rate of nausea and vomiting was 10.6% in the lactulose group and 4.3% in the polyethylene glycol group, indicating no difference between the two groups (P=0.221). Conclusion: The administration of polyethylene glycol and lactulose had no significant difference in reducing the symptoms of chronic functional constipation in children. However, it seems that polyphenol glycol played a role in increasing the frequency of defecation.
format Article
id doaj-art-00eb053dbb7d40d1949fbc67ce90faaa
institution OA Journals
issn 2717-0071
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences
record_format Article
series Journal of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences
spelling doaj-art-00eb053dbb7d40d1949fbc67ce90faaa2025-08-20T01:49:47ZengShahrekord University of Medical SciencesJournal of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences2717-00712024-12-0126414014510.34172/jsums.892jskums-892Polyethylene glycol versus lactulose in the treatment of chronic functional constipation in children: A randomized clinical trialHassan Talakesh0Alizamen Salehifard Jouneghani1Karamali Kasiri2Farnoush Kochekian3Afsaneh Malekpour Tehrani4Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Research Development Unit, Hajar Hospital, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, IranDepartment of Pediatrics, Clinical Research Development Unit, Hajar Hospital, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, IranDepartment of Pediatrics, Clinical Research Development Unit, Hajar Hospital, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, IranClinical Research Development Unit, Hajar Hospital, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, IranDepartment of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Modeling in Health Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, IranBackground and aims: Constipation in children is a serious problem that affects both children and their families. We aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of lactulose and polyethylene glycol in the treatment of constipation in children. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was performed on 92 patients referred to a private gastroenterology clinic in Shahrekord, Iran. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups receiving polyethylene glycol or lactulose. Defecation patterns and complications were assessed 0, 3, 7, and 21 days after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test, repeated measures test, Mann–Whitney U test in SPSS version 16.0. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: No difference was found between the two interventional groups in terms of the frequency of painful defecation (P=0.31), fecal incontinence (P=0.50), hard stools (P=0.69), fear of defecation (P=0.09), poor appetite (P=0.29), straining at stool (P=0.50), and abdominal pain (P=0.07) within a follow-up period of 21 days. There were significant differences in the frequency of defecation on days 7 and 21 (P=0.02). The mean frequencies of abdominal cramps were significantly higher in those who received lactulose (P=0.001). The rate of nausea and vomiting was 10.6% in the lactulose group and 4.3% in the polyethylene glycol group, indicating no difference between the two groups (P=0.221). Conclusion: The administration of polyethylene glycol and lactulose had no significant difference in reducing the symptoms of chronic functional constipation in children. However, it seems that polyphenol glycol played a role in increasing the frequency of defecation.https://j.skums.ac.ir/PDF/jskums-26-140.pdfconstipationpolyethylene glycollactulosechildren
spellingShingle Hassan Talakesh
Alizamen Salehifard Jouneghani
Karamali Kasiri
Farnoush Kochekian
Afsaneh Malekpour Tehrani
Polyethylene glycol versus lactulose in the treatment of chronic functional constipation in children: A randomized clinical trial
Journal of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences
constipation
polyethylene glycol
lactulose
children
title Polyethylene glycol versus lactulose in the treatment of chronic functional constipation in children: A randomized clinical trial
title_full Polyethylene glycol versus lactulose in the treatment of chronic functional constipation in children: A randomized clinical trial
title_fullStr Polyethylene glycol versus lactulose in the treatment of chronic functional constipation in children: A randomized clinical trial
title_full_unstemmed Polyethylene glycol versus lactulose in the treatment of chronic functional constipation in children: A randomized clinical trial
title_short Polyethylene glycol versus lactulose in the treatment of chronic functional constipation in children: A randomized clinical trial
title_sort polyethylene glycol versus lactulose in the treatment of chronic functional constipation in children a randomized clinical trial
topic constipation
polyethylene glycol
lactulose
children
url https://j.skums.ac.ir/PDF/jskums-26-140.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT hassantalakesh polyethyleneglycolversuslactuloseinthetreatmentofchronicfunctionalconstipationinchildrenarandomizedclinicaltrial
AT alizamensalehifardjouneghani polyethyleneglycolversuslactuloseinthetreatmentofchronicfunctionalconstipationinchildrenarandomizedclinicaltrial
AT karamalikasiri polyethyleneglycolversuslactuloseinthetreatmentofchronicfunctionalconstipationinchildrenarandomizedclinicaltrial
AT farnoushkochekian polyethyleneglycolversuslactuloseinthetreatmentofchronicfunctionalconstipationinchildrenarandomizedclinicaltrial
AT afsanehmalekpourtehrani polyethyleneglycolversuslactuloseinthetreatmentofchronicfunctionalconstipationinchildrenarandomizedclinicaltrial