SynthesisDigestive diseases and sciences2002
Lack of objective evidence of efficacy of laxatives in chronic constipation.
Synthesis in Digestive diseases and sciences, 2002. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 36 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
36 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 123 citations in OpenAlex.
- Different doses of prucalopride in treating chronic idiopathic constipation: a meta-analysis and Bayesian analysis.BMJ open · 2021Pooled it
- Pharmacological treatment for antipsychotic-related constipation.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2017Pooled it
- Effect of dietary fiber on constipation: a meta analysis.World journal of gastroenterology · 2012Pooled it
- Laxatives for the treatment of hemorrhoids.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2005Pooled it
- Probiotics improve bowel movements in hospitalized elderly patients--the PROAGE study.The journal of nutrition, health & aging · 2011Trial
- Prucalopride.Drugs · 2009Trial
- Efficacy and safety analysis of prucalopride in refractory chronic constipation cases in a tertiary care hospital in Eastern India: A randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study.Indian journal of pharmacologyTrial
- The macrogol revolution in the treatment of chronic constipation. A short history of laxatives.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Article
- Exploring Pharmacological Treatments for Chronic Idiopathic Constipation in Adults: A Look Back to the Future.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Review
- A high-fibre personalised dietary advice given via a web tool reduces constipation complaints in adults.Journal of nutritional science · 2022Article
- Laxative Use in the Community: A Literature Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2021Review
- Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Metabolism of Sennoside A, A Medicinal Plant-Derived Natural Compound.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2021Review
- An update on prucalopride in the treatment of chronic constipation.Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology · 2017Review
- Intractable Constipation in the Elderly.Current treatment options in gastroenterology · 2017Review
- Pharmacoeconomic study of chronic constipation in a secondary care centre.Irish journal of medical science · 2015Article
- Lubiprostone in constipation: clinical evidence and place in therapy.Therapeutic advances in chronic disease · 2015Review
- Cost-effectiveness of prucalopride in the treatment of chronic constipation in the Netherlands.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2015Article
- Epidemiology and management of chronic constipation in elderly patients.Clinical interventions in aging · 2015Review
- Nanocrystalline cerium dioxide efficacy for gastrointestinal motility: potential for prokinetic treatment and prevention in elderly.The EPMA journal · 2015Article
- Effect of Prucalopride in the Treatment of Chronic Constipation in Asian and Non-Asian Women: A Pooled Analysis of 4 Randomized, Placebo-controlled Studies.Journal of neurogastroenterology and motility · 2014Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Laxatives are commonly used to treat constipation and can be bought over-the-counter in many countries, although some preparations need to be prescribed by physicians. A meta-analysis was conducted to quantitatively evaluate the published evidence on the efficacy of laxatives in constipation. We found that large, well-controlled, published studies whose data were comparable were lacking. Of 250 articles, 35 met the inclusion criteria but only 11 yielded usable data (N = 375 patients on laxatives, 174 on placebo). There was an effect of laxatives on stool frequency (mean increase 1.9 stools per week) and stool weight (mean increase 476 g) but this was not clearly distinguishable from that of placebo therapies (1 stool and 434 g, respectively) in studies up to 4 weeks in duration. Similarly, studies of 5-12 weeks yielded no differences overall. These results cannot definitively rule out laxatives as an effective treatment, due to the poor published evidence. Better evidence is required to justify the continued expenditure of funds on laxatives by both patients and formularies.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.