Korean J Gastroenterol.  1999 Oct;34(4):472-478.

Rectal Hyposensitivity in Painless Normal Transit/Normal Defecatory Constipation

• Kim CS
• Rhee PL
• Kim YH
• Son HJ
• Lee HY
• Kim JJ
• Koh KC
• Paik SW
• Rhee JC
• Choi KW

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The functional constipation consists of slow transit, defecatory disorder and the normal transit/normal defecatory constipation. It can be divided into the group with pain (irritable bowel syndrome) and the group without pain. We evaluated the difference in the rectal motor and sensory function between patients with the painless normal transit/normal defecatory constipation (pNT/ND C) and controls.
METHODS
Rectal barostat was carried out in 13 pNT/ND C (M:F=4:9, mean age 46.6 yrs) and 10 controls (M:F=5:5, mean age 29.1 yrs). The thresholds for the minimal sense, the call to stool and the urgency were checked as sensory parameters. The compliance was expressed by the slope of the pressure-volume curve. The basal tone was measured by the volume of (minimal distending pressure+10) mmHg.
RESULTS
The thresholds for the minimal sensory pressure of patients and controls were 16.7+/-6.1 vs. 6.6+/-3.3 mmHg. The thresholds for the minimal defecatory pressure were 22.9+/-7.1 and 15.7+/-3.7 mmHg and those for the urgency pressure were 23.8+/-7.3 vs. 21.4+/-5.9 mmHg. These results indicated that the three thresholds were significantly increased in the pNT/ND C than in the controls (p<0.01). However, the compliance and basal tone were not significantly different in both groups.
CONCLUSIONS
The visceral hyposensitivity may play a pathogenic role in developing painless normal transit/normal defecatory constipation.

Keyword

Painless normal transit/normal defecatory constipation; Barostat; Rectal hyposensitivity

MeSH Terms

Compliance
Constipation*
Humans
Sensation