4CPS-172 Relationship between anticholinergic burden associated with medications and functional chronic constipation in patients admitted to emergency departments
Year: 2025
Type: conference-paper
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background and Importance Anticholinergic drugs are widely used to treat several diseases. However, they have been associated with side effects such as the inhibition of peristaltic tone. Chronic functional constipation (CFC) is a common multifactorial disorder that negatively affects the quality of life of patients. Aim and Objectives To describe and evaluate the relationship between anticholinergic burden (AB) associated with chronic medication and the degree of CFC in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED). Material and Methods This was a prospective, cross-sectional and descriptive study that included patients aged ≥18 years who were admitted to the ED, with at least one drug as chronic treatment. Patients with a history of irritable bowel, cancer, ostomy carriers, abdominal ischaemia or previous abdominal surgery that could lead to chronic constipation of organic cause were excluded. An interview was conducted with patients to collect the following variables: age, sex, body mass index (BMI), ROMA diagnostic criteria for CFC, chronic medication, AB measured with the ABC-scale, dietary habit with FEAD-scale and physical-activity with IPAQ-scale. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the centre. Chi-squared-test was applied for categorical variables and Mann-Whitney U-test for quantitative variables. Variables associated with a p<0.10 significance level in the univariate analysis were included in a multivariate logistic regression model and significant associations were considered if p<0.05. The SPSS-Statistical-Package-V24 was used to analyse the data. Results A total of 65 patients were included (58.4% male) with a mean age of 76±13.32 years and median BMI of 28.7 (6.3) kg/m2. The prevalence of CFC according to the ROMA scale was 32.3%. A total of 67.7% had medication with a medium-high AB; 50.8% had a poor dietary habit and 61.5% were engaged in moderate-vigorous physical-activity. Regarding the use of laxatives, 27.7% used them regularly, however, 55.5% of them met the criteria for constipation. In multivariate analysis, AB followed by female sex were associated with a higher probability of CFC diagnosis [OR=19.0 (95% CI,2.2–162.9) p=0.007] and [OR=4.1(95% CI,1.2–13.9) p=0.023], respectively. Conclusion and Relevance One-third of the patients met criteria for CFC. More than 25% usually used laxatives but, half of them were ineffective. A large percentage of patients had a moderate-high AB, which together with female sex, were the only statistically factors associated with a higher probability of CFC diagnosis. References and/or Acknowledgements Conflict of Interest No conflict of interest
Institution: Hospital Universitario de Getafe
Language: English
Subfield: Gastroenterology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4408376936