Comparison of the effect of polyethylene glycol and simultaneous administration of polyethylene glycol with probiotics in the treatment of chronic functional constipation: a clinical trial

Background and aims: Constipation is one of the most common issues in pediatrics. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of polyethylene glycol and the simultaneous administration of polyethylene glycol along with probiotics in the treatment of chronic functional constipation. Materials and Methods: In this randomized double-blind clinical trial, 150 children with chronic functional constipation referred to Imam Ali Clinic affiliated with Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences from 2017 to 2018 were included. The first group (A) consumed 1 g/ kg of body weight per day of water-soluble polyethylene glycol powder and the second group (B) consumed a probiotic powder and 1 g/kg of body weight of the water-soluble polyethylene glycol powder daily. In weeks 0, 1, and 2, questionnaires were filled out by the parents of the children and the data were analyzed. Results: The results showed that there was no significant difference in any of the variables between groups A and B (P=0.07) including the frequency of fecal excretion in week 1 (77% and 71%) and week 2 (4% and 5.4%) and stool consistency in week 1 (4% and 6.7%) and week 2 (86.7% and 92%). Moreover, there was no significant difference between groups A and B in any of the variables frequency of painful excretion in week 1 (74% and 73%, respectively) and week 2 (5.3% and 4%, respectively), frequency of abdominal pain in week 1 (61.3% and 49.3%, respectively) and week 2 (4% and 5.3%, respectively), and the frequency of fecal incontinence in week 1 (22.77% and 18.7%, respectively) and week 2 (6.7% and 1.3%) (P>0.05, respectively). Conclusion: Our results indicated that the administration of probiotic supplement (Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillous Bulgaricus) has no effect on the improvement of symptoms in children with chronic constipation.