title: [Diagnosis of constipation: a systematic review].
abstract: To diagnose constipation accurately in self-reported constipated patients is very important not to miss organic disease and prevent therapeutic abuse. To investigate the etiology of functional constipation is also important to determine the therapeutic modality of constipation. In this systemic review, the clinical usefulness of symptom evaluation, diagnostic tests to rule out organic and systemic disease, and functional tests to discriminate underlying pathophysiology in the diagnosis of constipation were discussed. No specific symptoms or tests were available to predict organic versus functional constipation or differentiate slow transit constipation versus evacuation disorder. Therefore, collaborative studies are necessary to determine the pathophysiology of this disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Myung
authors.forename: Tae Hee
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyu Chan
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.forename: Suck Chei
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Chong Il
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Sohn
mesh_terms: D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D003113:Colonoscopy; D003248:Constipation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D019841:Defecography; D006801:Humans; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests