Weaning strategies for osmotic laxatives in children with functional constipation: a pilot multicenter randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Long-term maintenance of laxatives is crucial for treating functional constipation (FC) in children. This study aimed to compare the success rates of discontinuation based on different drug reduction methods, in order to identify the optimal strategy for discontinuing laxative use.

Methods

This open-label randomized controlled trial was conducted from September 2020 to September 2021. Children with FC who had been successfully treated with lactulose for more than three months were included. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: dose reduction or frequency reduction over a three-month period. The primary outcome was the weaning success rate at week 12. Participants were divided into two subgroups based on the pre-weaning lactulose dosage: the low-do

SUBMITTER: Lee YM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11921306 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature