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A recent study (S Pradhan, B Jagadisan. JPGN 2018; 67: 570-5) describes the yield of digital rectal exam (DRE) for detecting impaction in the setting of functional constipation.
Methods: In this prospective, observational study with an initial cohort of 233 (from a tertiary center) with a history of suggestive of constipation, the authors identified 169 who satisfied Rome III criteria for functional constipation. After excluding 48 who had impactions detected without DRE and another 24 who had DRE not performed (24 due to fissures, 2 due to recent enema, and 2 due to parental preference), there were 93 who had DRE.
Key finding: “Children satisfying Rome III criteria without requiring digital rectal examination …have impaction detectable only by DRE in 30.1%” (28 of 93).
My take: Since treatment is modified in those with an impaction, DRE remains important part of the examination in children with constipation or symptoms attributed to constipation.
Related posts:
- Don’t Let the Chief of Staff Review this Study on Constipation
- Stimulants for constipation
- Diagnostic tests hardly ever help patients poop
- What’s Wrong with Ordering an AXR for Constipation in the ER …
- Miralax Safety | gutsandgrowth
- Updated Pediatric Expert Constipation Guidelines | gutsandgrowth
- AGA Constipation Guidelines | gutsandgrowth
- “Simple Remedies for Constipation” | gutsandgrowth
- Reliability of colonic manometry | gutsandgrowth
- …ER Performance for Suspected Constipation | gutsandgrowth
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