title: Glucomannan is not effective for the treatment of functional constipation in children: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Treatment measures for constipation in children are often not satisfactory. The aim was to assess the efficacy of glucomannan (GNN) as a sole treatment for functional constipation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children aged 3-16 years with functional constipation according to Rome III criteria were randomly assigned to receive GNN (2.52 g/d) or placebo for 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 80 children, 72 (90%) completed the study. The primary outcome, treatment success (≥3 stools per week with no soiling), was similar in the GNN (n = 36) and placebo (n = 36) groups (relative risk 0.95, 95% CI 0.6 to 1.4). In the GNN group, the stool consistency score was higher at week 1 (P < 0.0001), lower at week 3 (P = 0.008), and similar at weeks 2 and 4. Stool frequency was higher only at week 3 (P = 0.007). Abdominal pain episodes were more frequent in the GNN group at week 1 (P = 0.04) and week 4 (P < 0.0001) but were similar between groups at weeks 2 and 3. No difference was observed in the frequency of any other secondary outcome or adverse event.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our setting, GNN, as dosed in this study, was not more effective than placebo in achieving therapeutic success in constipated children. The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (http://clinicaltrials.gov), number NCT01151878.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, The Medical University of Warsaw, Dzialdowska 1, 01-183 Warsaw, Poland. aachmielewska@gmail.com
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chmielewska
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horvath
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dziechciarz
authors.forename: Hania
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Szajewska
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003248:Constipation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005414:Flatulence / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008351:Mannans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008351:Mannans; C022901:(1-6)-alpha-glucomannan