Quality of life and somatic symptoms in children with constipation

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Chronic constipation is a common problem among Sri Lankan school children. We assessed the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and somatisation in school children with constipation. METHODS: This cross sectional survey was conducted in children aged 13-18 years, in 4 randomly selected schools in Gampaha district of Sri Lanka. From each school, 4 classes each were randomly selected from academic years 9-12. All children in the selected classes were included in the study. Data were collected using a set of validated, self administered questionnaires. They include Rome III questionnaire for paediatric functional gastrointestinal diseases, the somatisation inventory and PedsQL generic quality of life inventory. Constipation was diagnosed using Rome III criteria. Results: A total of 1,792 children were included in the analysis [males 975 (54.4%), mean age 14.4 years and SD 1.3 years]. Hundred and thirty-eight (7.7%) fulfilled Rome criteria for constipation. Children with constipation had lower HRQOL scores for physical (83.6 vs. 91.4 in controls, P < 0.0001), social (85.0 vs. 92.7, P = 0.0001), emotional (73.6 vs. 82.7, P -0,0001), school functioning (75.0 vs. 82.5, P < 0.0001) domains, and lower overall scores (79.6 vs. 88-0, P = 0.0001). HRQOL scores were lower in those with faecal incontinence (70.0 vs. 81.1, P = 0,004), Total somatisation score for children with constipation was significantly higher than that of controls (16vs. 8.3, P < 0.0001). Patient perceived severity of abdominal pain (r = -0.22, P = 0.01), severity of bowel symptoms (r = -0.22, P = 0.01) and total somatisation score (r = -0.47, P < 0.0001) showed significant negative correlation with total HRQOL scores. CONCLUSIONS: Children with constipation have a lower quality of life in all 4 domains; physical, emotional, social and school functioning. They also have a higher somatic symptom score than controls. HRQOL has an inverse relationship with severity of symptoms.