title: Early-life factors associated with pediatric functional constipation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This multicenter prospective study aimed to establish possible risk factors for functional constipation (FC) in the first year of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  At the infant's age of 3, 6, and 12 months, parents of all included infants completed 2 questionnaires: one about the presence of FC and the other screened the possible risk factors for FC. Parents of 465 infants completed the questionnaires at 3 and 6 months and of 402 infants at 12 months of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the Rome III criteria, FC was found in 11.6% of the infants at 3 months, in 13.7% at 6 months, and in 10.7% at 12 months after birth. Family history of atopy was present in 38.8% and 45.3% of infants with constipation at 3 and 6 months (P = 0.04 and P = 0.02, respectively), but no significant association was found at 12 months (P = 0.80). Breast-feeding was significantly related to a normal evacuation pattern at 3 months (P = 0.05), but not at 6 and 12 months (P = 0.12 and P = 0.9, respectively). Acetaminophen and female sex appeared to be risk factors for FC at 12 months. After the adjustment for all analyzed variables, FC in infants was significantly associated with the use of acetaminophen (odds ratio 6.98, 95% confidence interval 0.82-13.50).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirmed that breast-feeding is a protective factor for FC in the first 3 months of life and that the female sex is at risk to have FC. We found that the use of acetaminophen was associated with a higher incidence of FC in the first year of life.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Translational Medical Science, Section of Pediatrics, University of Naples "Federico II," Naples †Department of Pediatrics, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro ‡Department of Pediatrics, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy §Department of Pediatrics, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK ||Department of Pediatrics, University of Messina, Messina ¶Department of Pediatrics, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Turco
authors.forename: Erasmo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miele
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mastroianni
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lavorgna
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paludetto
authors.forename: Licia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pensabene
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campanozzi
authors.forename: Osvaldo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Borrelli
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiaro
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guariso
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Staiano
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000367:Age Factors; D058633:Antipyretics / Q000009:adverse effects; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003248:Constipation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010290:Parents; D010372:Pediatrics; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D058633:Antipyretics; D000082:Acetaminophen