Abstract :
Objective: To evaluate the value of abdominal radiograph using stool retention rating record (SRRR)
for diagnosis of constipation.
Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective study. All children with constipation and recurrent
abdominal pain (RAP), who had abdominal radiograph done, were enrolled into the study from Jan 2001-Jun 2003.
The abdominal radiograph was blindly interpreted using SRRR by a pediatric gastroenterologist and pediatric
radiologist.
Results: Seventy cases were enrolled, forty in the constipation group and the rest was RAP group. The
mean age was 5.36 +/- 4.18 years and 8.86 +/- 4.1 years, in constipation and RAP group, respectively (p = 0.001).
There was no gender difference between two groups. In constipation group, twelve and twenty-eight patients were
classified as simple and complicated constipation, respectively. There was no statistical significance noted on
SRRR score between constipation and RAP groups by two observers. However, there was statistically significant
difference noted by the pediatric radiologist in children with complicated constipation compared to simple consti-
pation (p = 0.018)
Conclusion: There was no statistical difference using plain abdominal radiograph to differentiate chil-
dren with constipation from RAP children without constipation. Therefore, the use of plain abdominal radiographs
was not a substitute for complete history taking and physical examination in diagnosis of constipation. Routine
investigation using plain abdominal radiograph is not recommended, except in intractable or complicated cases.
[Thai J Gastroenterol 2004; 5(3): 157-160] |
file/Thai-Journal-of-gastroenterology-vol-5-no-3-3661293.pdf