title: Physical therapy combined with a laxative fruit drink for treatment of chagasic megacolon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of Chagas' disease colopathy is limited to clinical management in the initial of the process, and for patients for whom surgery is not indicated or is not possible, anti-constipation diets are used, along with judicious administration of laxatives and enemas.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate over time the effects of physical-therapy interventions combined with daily ingestion of a laxative fruit drink in the treatment of chagasic megacolon.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a quantitative, prospective, and comparative study, 12 patients of both sexes and with a mean age of 67 ± 12 years were clinically evaluated to receive 12 sessions of physical therapy twice a week, along with fruit drink, and were evaluated for intestinal constipation before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant difference (P<0.0022) was observed in the constipation scores before and after 6 weeks of intervention in 91.7% of the patients, and in 72.7% after 12 months, with reduction of laxative medications, softer stools, and increased number of bowel movements. With respect to gender, age, and whether or not the patient had received surgical treatment, there was no significant difference (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proposed protocol is easy to implement, safe, non-invasive, and low-cost, with the potential to be deployed in health care by providing benefits independent of gender, age, or whether the participant has undergone surgery, improving the condition of patients with chagasic megacolon.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brasil.
authors.forename: Egle Pereira
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Leão
authors.forename: Carlos José Martins
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Pena
authors.forename: Silvana Marques
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: de Araújo
authors.forename: Mônica Lúcia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gomes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001628:Beverages; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000150:complications*; D003248:Constipation / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D026241:Exercise Movement Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage / Q000379:methods*; D008531:Megacolon / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors