Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42220963›Full record

ArticleWorld journal of clinical pediatrics2026

Evaluating the role of the Bristol stool chart in diagnosing functional constipation in pediatric populations.

Kriangsak Ounboontham, Thitima Ngoenmak

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in World journal of clinical pediatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Kriangsak OunboonthamDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University, Mueang 65000, Phitsanulok, Thailand.
Thitima NgoenmakDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University, Mueang 65000, Phitsanulok, Thailand. thitiman@nu.ac.th.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFunctional constipation (FC) is a common condition among children worldwide. Although the Rome IV criteria are diagnostic standard, evaluating infants and toddlers can be challenging. The Bristol stool chart (BSC) is a simple tool for describing stool consistency, but its diagnostic accuracy in young children is uncertain.

aimTo compare the diagnostic performance of the BSC and Rome IV criteria in children under four years.

methodsA prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2025 to October 2025 among children aged 6 months to 4 years attending well-child visits at the Hospital. Parents completed validated Thai versions of the Rome IV questionnaire and the BSC. FC was diagnosed using the Rome IV criteria. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the BSC were calculated.

resultsAmong 275 children enrolled, 43 (15.6%) met the Rome IV criteria for FC. The FC group had a significantly higher mean age than the non-FC group (30.1 ± 11.9 months

conclusionThe BSC shows high specificity but low sensitivity in young children; stool types 1-2 support FC and are best used to confirm diagnosis alongside the Rome IV criteria.

Indexed as

Bristol stool chartChildrenFunctional constipationPediatricPrevalence

Identifiers

PMID42220963
PMCPMC13217085

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.