The effectiveness of transcutaneous nerve stimulation in treating children with functional constipation.

IF 1.2 4区医学 Q4 GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY

Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica Pub Date : 2026-07-01 DOI:10.51821/89.3.15203

F Vander Vennet, J Desmytter, S Van Biervliet, B De Muynck, B Samijn, S Vande Velde

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background and study aims: Functional constipation (FC) is a prevalent condition in paediatric populations and while standard therapies, including laxatives and toilet training are commonly used, a substantial proportion of children exhibit an inadequate response. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) as a non-invasive treatment for FC in children.

Patients and methods: Children diagnosed with FC according to the Rome IV criteria and treated with TENS were included in this retrospective cohort study. Data were collected in two Belgian hospitals between 2018 and 2024. Primary outcome measures included stool frequency, stool retention behaviour, faecal incontinence, and stool size. Statistical analyses incorporated post hoc comparison with Bonferroni correction.

Results: A total of 36 children were included (median age 7.5 years, range 3-15 years; 61% male) of whom approximately one-third had a concomitant diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD). Improvements were observed in faecal incontinence (p = 0.016), retentive behaviour (p = 0.001), stool frequency (<2 bowel movements/week) (p = 0.035), and abdominal pain (p = 0.006). After applying a Bonferroni correction, only the effect on retentive behaviour remained statistically significant. Side effects were limited to mild erythema in two patients, which did not necessitate discontinuation.

Conclusion: TENS appears to be a promising and well-tolerated treatment for children with FC and it may be considered as an early intervention within the therapeutic management pathway as the beneficial effects seem particularly evident in children with more severe forms.

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经皮神经刺激治疗小儿功能性便秘的疗效观察。

背景和研究目的：功能性便秘（FC）是儿科人群中的一种常见疾病，虽然常用的标准治疗方法包括泻药和如厕训练，但相当大比例的儿童表现出不充分的反应。本研究旨在评估经皮神经刺激（TENS）作为儿童FC无创治疗的有效性。患者和方法：根据Rome IV标准诊断为FC并接受TENS治疗的儿童纳入本回顾性队列研究。数据收集于2018年至2024年间的两家比利时医院。主要结局指标包括大便频率、大便潴留行为、大便失禁和大便大小。统计分析包括事后比较和Bonferroni校正。结果：共纳入36名儿童（中位年龄7.5岁，范围3-15岁，61%为男性），其中约三分之一伴有神经发育障碍（NDD）的诊断。在大便失禁（p = 0.016）、保留行为（p = 0.001）、大便频率等方面均有改善。结论：TENS似乎是一种有前景且耐受性良好的治疗FC患儿的方法，可能被认为是治疗管理途径中的早期干预，因为对更严重形式的患儿的有益效果似乎特别明显。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica Medicine-Gastroenterology

CiteScore

2.30

自引率

20.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： The Journal Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica principally publishes peer-reviewed original manuscripts, reviews, letters to editors, book reviews and guidelines in the field of clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, including digestive oncology, digestive pathology, as well as nutrition. Pure animal or in vitro work will not be considered for publication in the Journal. Translational research papers (including sections of animal or in vitro work) are considered by the Journal if they have a clear relationship to or relevance for clinical hepato-gastroenterology (screening, disease mechanisms and/or new therapies). Case reports and clinical images will be accepted if they represent an important contribution to the description, the pathogenesis or the treatment of a specific gastroenterology or liver problem. The language of the Journal is English. Papers from any country will be considered for publication. Manuscripts submitted to the Journal should not have been published previously (in English or any other language), nor should they be under consideration for publication elsewhere. Unsolicited papers are peer-reviewed before it is decided whether they should be accepted, rejected, or returned for revision. Manuscripts that do not meet the presentation criteria (as indicated below) will be returned to the authors. Papers that go too far beyond the scope of the journal will be also returned to the authors by the editorial board generally within 2 weeks. The Journal reserves the right to edit the language of papers accepted for publication for clarity and correctness, and to make formal changes to ensure compliance with AGEB’s style. Authors have the opportunity to review such changes in the proofs.