1. Elementary school (7-12 y)
Colon transit time in healthy children S. Vande Velde, A. Notebaert, S. Van Biervliet, R. De Bruyne, M. Van Winckel Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Ghent University Hospital (UZG), Belgium
Purpose 1
Aim of the study: describe normal Colon Transit Time (CTT) in healthy children, correlate results with age, Bristol stool scale and to evaluate intra-en inter-observer variability.
Methods
Inclusion criteria :
- healthy children
3 to 18 years old
normal defecation pattern
no history of abdominal surgery or medication use
Total and segmental CTT:
10 polythene radio-opaque markers
during 6 consecutive days
abdominal X-ray on day 7
total and segmental CTT are calculated by multiplying the number of markers by 2.4 [1].
Results
Boys
Girls
Total
Toddlers (3-6 y) 11 5 16
Elementary school (7-12 y) 10 9 19
Adolescents
(13-18 y) 30 24 54
median age 10 y (3-18 y)
median total CTT is 36h (0-86,4h)
no difference for age category
bristol stool scale correlates with total CTT (p=0,031)
results are not different from CTT values in an adult population
intra- and inter-observer variability displays an ICC of 0,999 for the total CTT
Segmental CTT
Right colon
Left colon
Rectosigmoid colon
Total colon
Median
Upper limit
Upper
limit
3-6 years
2,4h
21,6h
26,4h
14,4h
52,8h
31,2h
74,4h
7-12 years
7,2h
28,8h
4,8h
19,2h
24h
55,2h
36h
79,2h
13-18 years
16,8h
9,6h
64,8h
43,2h
86,4h
Total
19,8h*
26,4h*
63,0h*
79,2h*
Conclusion
The CTT of normal healthy children is not sex nor age related (above the age of 3 years).
The Abrahamson’s method for CTT measurement using bony landmarks for determination of colon segments is easy to
perform and well tolerated with a virtual inexistent rating difference between different observers.
References
1. Abrahamsson H, Antov S, Bosaeus I (1988). Gastrointestinal and segmental colonic transit time evaluated by a single abdominal x-ray in healthy subjects and constipated patients. Scand J Gastroenterol 32:72-80.