[Case-control study of risk factors associated with constipation. The FREI Study].
BACKGROUND
Children represent one of the patient groups most affected by constipation. Our objective was to identify and describe the risk factors associated with childhood constipation.


METHODS
The study had a case-control, retrospective, open and multicenter design. Clinical data on possible risk factors were collected through an ad-hoc questionnaire. Two groups were studied: children with and without constipation.


RESULTS
Nine hundred twenty-one children were recruited; of these, 898 (97.6%) were included in the statistical analysis. There were 408 (45.4%) children in the constipated group and 490 (54.5%) in the non-constipated group. Most of the children with constipation (53.6%) had a maternal history of constipation compared with 21.4% of children without constipation (p < 0.05). More than half (53.2%) of the constipated children reported a lack of regularity in their toilet habits while 64.9 % of the children without constipation went to the toilet regularly. Toilet training started slightly earlier (at 3 years) in children without constipation (93.2%) than in those with the disorder (83.8%) (p < 0.05). At school, 57.4% of the children with constipation never used the toilet compared with 26.8% of those without constipation (p < 0.05). A total of 73.4% of children with constipation drank less than four glasses of water per day compared with 47.1% of those without constipation (p < 0.05). Consumption of vegetables and legumes in the diet was significantly lower in children with constipation than in those without (p < 0.05). The risk factors linked to childhood constipation found in this study were a familial history of constipation, irregular toilet habits, low dietary fiber contents and no fruit intake. The main preventive factors against constipation were water and vegetable consumption and training on the use of the toilet at school.


CONCLUSIONS
Daily toilet training and dietary changes are needed to prevent constipation among children and to achieve regular defecation. This preventive intervention should be reinforced at school.
Comas Vives
A
A
Departamento Médico Solvay Pharma, Barcelona, España.
Polanco Allué
I
I
D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003248:Constipation / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors