A Clinical Study On The Treatment Of Functional Constipation(Syndrome Of Endogenous Heat Due To Food Retention) In Children By The Heat-purging, Intestine-moistening And Stagnancy-removing Method

Objective:This study was intended to investigate the clinical efficacy and security of the heat-purging, intestine-moistening and stagnancy-removing method for the treatment of constipation (syndrome of endogenous heat due to food retention) in children.Methods:Sixty children with constipation (syndrome of endogenous heat due to food retention) were recruited from the Outpatient Clinic of Pediatrics of Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and assigned to a treatment group (n=30) and a control group (n=30). Patients in the treatment group were given self-developed heat-purging and stagnancy-removing decoction (essentially comprising immature orange fruit, magnolia bark, gardenia, reed root, hempseed, membrane of chicken gizzard, betel nut, stir-baked radish seed) and patients in the control group given Wangshi Baochi Pills, a Chinese prepared medicine (essentially comprising rhubarb root and rhizome, golden thread, defatted croton seed powder, ginger, starch, Chinese water chestnut powder, tendril leaf fritillary bulb, jackinthepulpit tuber, cinnabar, etc.), with each course of treatment lasting4weeks. The patients were observed generally for one course followed by2weeks’ follow-up. All the data is processed by the statistical software of SPSS17.0.Results:Total response rates in the treatment group and the control group were80.00%and73.33%after treatment for one week, respectively showing no significantly differences between two groups (P>0.05). Total response rates in the two groups were83.33%and80.00%after treatment for two weeks, respectively showing significantly differences between two groups (P<0.05). Total response rates in the two groups were90.00%and76.67%after treatment for three weeks, respectively showing significantly differences between two groups (P<0.05). Total response rates in the two groups were93.33%and76.67%after treatment for four weeks, respectively showing significantly differences between two groups (P<0.01). Total response rates in the two groups were97.67%and70.00%in the2weeks’follow-up after completion of the treatment course, respectively showing significantly differences between two groups (P<0.01). Comparison of efficacy against TCM symptoms treatment for2weeks and4weeks were significantly different (P<0.05). There was not any untoward effect observed during this investigation.Conclusion:Application of the heat-purging, intestine-moistening and stagnancy-removing method is safe and effective method of treatment, and long-term curative effect is superior to that of Chinese prepared medicine Wangshi Baochi Pills for the treatment of constipation (syndrome of endogenous heat due to food retention) in children.