| خلاصه مقاله | Introduction: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurologic disorder that manifests
symptoms such as impaired movement control. Constipation is also highly
prevalent (26%-74%) among children. In this study, we investigated the
prevalence of constipation and the management of constipation symptoms in
children and compared the efficacy of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and lactulose
in treatment. We also assessed the control of adverse complications such as
intestinal bleeding.
Methods and Materials: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted
on 48 patients with CP aged 1 to 15 years at Mardani Azar Children's Hospital
in Tabriz for 12 months (January to December 2022). According to the ROME IV
criteria for defining constipation, the prevalence among patients diagnosed
with CP was investigated. Patients were randomly divided into two groups,
each consisting of group 24 individuals, using computer-generated numbers.
The first group received PEG, while the second group was treated with
lactulose. They were monitored for one month and then for their symptoms
and outcomes every three months. Overall success was defined as having a
frequency of defecation greater than twice a week and experiencing fecal
incontinence no more than once a week. Statistical analyses were conducted
using the chi-square test, student’s t-test, and logistic regression using SPSS v.
26.
Results: A significant alteration was observed in defecation frequency and fecal
incontinence 12 and 24 weeks after the start of treatment. Defecation
frequency rose from 5.3% to 6.3% in the first group and from 5% to 5.7% in the
second group (p = 0.01). The success rates for 12 weeks were 57% and 33% for
the first and second groups, respectively (p = 0.04). Also, the success rate for
24 weeks was 62% for the first group and 37% for the second group (p = 0.02).
The difference in success rates between the two-drug treatments was
significant, leading us to conclude that PEG could be a more suitable option.
Conclusion and Discussion: Constipation is one of the critical problems among
children with CP, and PEG could provide more favorable outcomes than
lactulose as a treatment option for patients with constipation. |