title: Slow transit constipation: a model of human gut dysmotility. Review of possible aetiologies.
abstract: Slow transit constipation is a severe condition of gut dysmotility that predominantly affects young women and may result in surgical intervention. Current medical treatments for STC are often ineffective, and the outcome of surgery is unpredictable. STC was first described almost a century ago. Since this time, progress in improving therapy for this condition has been complicated by a lack of understanding of the aetiology, and great variation in the methods and criteria used for the study of patients with this debilitating disorder. It is difficult to find unequivocal data, and harder still to give a definitive picture of the cause or causes of STC. Here we consider the evidence for various aetiologies of STC, in the light of the physiological and pathological findings.
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Surgery, Royal London School of Medicine & Dentistry, Whitechapel, London, UK.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Knowles
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D002400:Cathartics / Q000009:adverse effects; D019070:Cell Lineage; D048429:Cell Size; D003106:Colon / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D003248:Constipation / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D017615:Enteric Nervous System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000503:physiopathology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000502:physiology; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D002400:Cathartics; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018847:Opioid Peptides