The Incidence, Risk Factors, and Effects of Constipation in Critical Patients

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study aimed to investigate the early, late, and total constipation frequency, related factors, and their effects on the hospitalization day, gastric residual volume, vomiting, distension, and diarrhea, the feeding type, white blood cells, and C-Reactive Protein levels, and body temperature.

Detailed Description
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Constipation is one of the most encountered nursing problems in intensive care unit patients. Constipation is an important issue, especially in intensive care patients, requiring careful discussion since it has negative effects as well as high incidence and excessive risk factors. Furthermore, untreated constipation in these patients delays enteral feeding prolonging the time of weaning from the mechanical ventilator, which consequently increases the duration of stay in the intensive care unit. Additionally, it involves complications such as distention, nausea-vomiting, an increase in bacterial infection rate, high morbidity, and mortality. Therefore, the definitions, risks, and effects of constipation, especially early and late constipation, in critically ill patients should be determined for evidence-based interventions. However, studies on the subject are limited.

Official Title
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The Incidence, Risk Factors, and Effects of Constipation in Critical Patients: An Observational Cross-sectional Study

Conditions
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Constipation

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: >18 years Not abdominal surgery Not stoma Not constipation during admission Not intraperitoneal infection Not had a recent colonoscopy -> 5 hospitalization days Exclusion Criteria: Having prolonged constipation and complications (such as decreased bowel sounds, and excessive distension) Order for regular laxatives or enemas Not meet inclusion criteria during follow-up

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The frequency of total constipation, early-type constipation and late-type constipation | During the study, patients in the intensive care unit with no bowel movements for four days were accepted as constipated. The ones without defecation for five days were evaluated in the early type constipation group, while the patients without defecation for six days or more were evaluated in the late-type constipation group. | Through study completion, an average of five months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| he duration of stay in the intensive care unit | the duration of stay in the intensive care unit as days (how many days?) | Through study completion, an average of five months | 
| the amount of gastric residual volume | the amount of gastric residual volume in ml/cc | Through study completion, an avarage of five months | 
| developing vomiting | developing vomiting as numbers (how many times?) | Through study completion, an average of five months | 
| Level of white blood cells | level of white blood cells (WBC) in mcL | Through study completion, an average of five months | 
| body temperature | body temperature in celsius | Through study completion, an average of five months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Critical care, Constipation, Intensive care, Nursing