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Reliable Scoring System for Constipation Management

July 7, 2022 7:00 am

CMA de Bruijn et al. J Pediatr 2022; 244: 107-114. Open Access: Development of a Bowel Management Scoring Tool in Pediatric Patients with Constipation

This report describes the “newly developed and validated PBMST (Pediatric Bowel Management Scoring Tool) is a reliable tool for evaluating bowel management strategies in children with constipation.”

Key finding:

“This study shows that use of the PBMST (see below) can better guide management of childhood constipation, with its fair reproducibility indicating that it is stable over a specified time period. Indeed, consistent use of the PBMST can objectify the patient’s clinical condition over a longer period. Consequently, the score provides feedback regarding the effect of the applied bowel management strategy for each individual patient.”

My take: 6 key questions for constipation visits: stool form, anorectal pain, abdominal pain, soiling, support from parents, and social limitations.

Related blog posts:

Modified Bristol Stool Form (see link: CAM Wegh et al. JPGN 2021; 73: 210-216. The Modified Bristol Stool Form Scale: A Reliable and Valid Tool to Score Stool Consistency in Dutch (Non)Toilet-trained Toddlers)