Review: high-quality evidence on the effectiveness of laxatives for functional constipation in children is limited.

摘要

QUESTION:Are laxatives and dietary measures effective for functional constipation in children?REVIEW SCOPE:Included studies compared osmotic, bulk-forming, stimulant or emollient laxatives, lubricating agents, or dietary measures with placebo, no treatment, or alternative treatments in children <=18 years of age who had functional constipation. Exclusion criteria included studies of children with psychiatric disease, organic constipation, exclusively non-retentive faecal incontinence, or mental handicap. Outcomes included treatment success (defined by individual studies) or defecation frequency.