Impacts of chronic functional constipation on bladder ultrasonography: a case- control study

Introduction: Association of chronic constipation with vesicoureteral reflux, urinary tract infection, and dilatation of upper system have been reported. We aimed to define the impact of chronic constipation on bladder sonography indexes (bladder volume, full and empty bladder wall thicknesses, and urinary residual volumes after once and twice bladder emptying).Methods: bladder indexes were compared between cases with chronic constipation aged ≥ 5 years and control group (those with normal urinary and defecation patterns). Urinary residual volumes after once and twice bladder emptying > 30 and > 20 ml in children ≤7 years and > 20 and > 10 ml in children > 7 years were considered abnormal respectively.Results: 32 children with chronic constipation and 69 normal cases enrolled the study. Comparison of full bladder volume (cc), full and empty bladder wall thicknesses (mm) and post void residual volumes after once and twice bladder emptying didn’t show significant differences (P=0.53, 0.215, 0.346, 0.502 and 0.352 respectively), although full and empty bladder wall thicknesses and post void residual volumes after once and twice bladder emptying were higher in cases with chronic constipation.Conclusion: chronic constipation has no significant impact on bladder volume, post void residual volume and bladder wall thicknesses indexes in full and empty condition. Whether functional bladder capacity affects by chronic constipation, uroflowmetery test and recording frequency volume chart in cases with chronic constipation and comparing them with normal children may add our knowledge.

Keywords:

Chronic functional constipation , bladder US , Bladder volume , bladder wall thickness , post void residual volume , children