title: Anorectal manometry in children with chronic functional constipation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The anorectal manometry is a very utilized and well recognized examination in children with chronic functional constipation. The major manometric findings in these children are: anal hypotonia, anal hypertonia, paradoxal contraction of the external anal sphincter, decreased ability of internal anal sphincter to relax during rectal distension and alterations in rectal contractility, sensibility and compliance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the anal basal pressure and the relaxation reflex before and after standard treatment for a better understanding of the physiopathologic mechanisms involved in pediatric chronic functional constipation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anorectal manometry was performed before treatment on 20 children with chronic functional constipation aged 4 to 12 years and the results were compared to those obtained after standard treatment, with a good outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a reduction in anal basal pressure after treatment, but no differences were detected between the anorectal manometries performed before and after treatment in terms of amplitude and duration of relaxation, residual pressure, latency time, or descent and ascent angle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the anal basal pressure decreased in children recovering from chronic functional constipation, but the standard treatment did not provide all the conditions necessary for the relaxation reflex of constipated children to return to the values described in normal children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosa Helena Monteiro
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Bigélli
authors.forename: Maria Inez Machado
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Yvone Avalloni de Moraes Villela de Andrade
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Vicente
authors.forename: Roberto Oliveira
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Dantas
authors.forename: Lívia Carvalho
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Galvão
authors.forename: Antônio Dorival
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Campos
mesh_terms: D001003:Anal Canal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002400:Cathartics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003248:Constipation / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012007:Rectum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013012:Sorbitol / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002400:Cathartics; D013012:Sorbitol