title: Determination of the frequency of dyssynergic defecation and patient characteristics in patients with functional constipation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dyssynergic defecation, a subgroup of functional constipation, is a relatively new definition, diagnostic criteria of which have recently been described. Distribution of subgroups of functional constipation in our population is scarcely known. We aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics and defecation features of patients as we determined the frequency of dyssynergic defecation in patients with functional constipation in our community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-two patients, 52 women and 30 men, with functional constipation were included in the study by using a questionnaire after secondary causes were excluded. Colonic transit time and balloon expulsion tests were performed to determine sub-groups of functional constipation. Colonoscopy and/or sigmoidoscopy in all patients and double contrast colonography in some patients were obtained at the beginning of the study to exclude anatomic and organic causes and patients with constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrome were also excluded from the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of the study revealed that functional constipation in our community occurs more frequently in women and at relatively older (middle to old) age. Patients with normal transit constipation pattern are the largest portion (52.4%) of patients with functional constipation, whereas dyssynergic defecation is the second most frequent (25.6%) reason among this population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of dyssynergic constipation is lower in our population compared to western communities, but the symptoms are similar. We believe that the questionnaire we used is helpful in revealing defecation characteristics and when combined with balloon expulsion test and colonic transit time measurements it can be a valuable tool in the diagnosis of dyssynergic defecation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpaşa Training Hospital, İstanbul.
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Öncü
authors.forename: A Melih
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Özel
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Demırtürk
authors.forename: Ahmet Kemal
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gürbüz
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yazgan
authors.forename: Eşref
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kizilkaya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003125:Colostomy; D003248:Constipation / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D003672:Defecation / Q000502:physiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003938:Diagnostic Techniques, Digestive System; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012812:Sigmoidoscopy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology