Chronic constipation: let's start from definition, first of all in elderly.
In Mac Callum et Al interesting paper one of starting point is that
Rome criteria are far from represent the all of constipation; that's
particularly true when we speak about elderly and in particular of nursing
home residents 1 where cognitive impairment is present to take away from
Rome criteria their meaning.
So I think we have to start from simple definition: and the one of Mac
callum "any patients experiencing consistent difficulty with defecation"
seems to me particularly fitted for nursing homes residents.
1. Pedrolli C. Chronic constipation in nursing homes: time to change
speed?. Min Med Gastroenterol Dietol 2008;54(1):105 -106.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests:
No competing interests
27 March 2009
C. Pedrolli
Consultant Nutritional Unit
S. Chiara Hospital Via P. Orsi n. 1 38100 Trento, Italy
Rapid Response:
Chronic constipation: let's start from definition, first of all in elderly.
In Mac Callum et Al interesting paper one of starting point is that
Rome criteria are far from represent the all of constipation; that's
particularly true when we speak about elderly and in particular of nursing
home residents 1 where cognitive impairment is present to take away from
Rome criteria their meaning.
So I think we have to start from simple definition: and the one of Mac
callum "any patients experiencing consistent difficulty with defecation"
seems to me particularly fitted for nursing homes residents.
1. Pedrolli C. Chronic constipation in nursing homes: time to change
speed?. Min Med Gastroenterol Dietol 2008;54(1):105 -106.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests