Efficacy and palatability of the developed polyethylene glycol-based formula for the treatment of children with functional constipation

Table 2 Improvement of stool frequency and stool consistency

Variables	PEG-Chula group		Commercial group		Between group
	mean ± SD	Mean change from baseline (95%CI)	mean ± SD	Mean change from baseline (95%CI)	Mean difference (95%CI)	P value
Stool frequency (time/week)
Baseline (n = 52)	1.96 ± 0.58	-	2.21 ± 0.74	-	-	0.181
Week 1 (n = 51)	6.27 ± 2.97	4.31 (3.39-5.23)	6.16 ± 4.35	3.94 (2.95-4.94)	0.36 (-0.99 to 1.72)	0.597
Week 2 (n = 50)	6.20 ± 2.24	4.22 (3.29-5.15)	6.44 ± 3.98	4.22 (3.23-5.22)	-0.01 (-1.36 to 1.35)	0.993
Week 3 (n = 50)	5.92 ± 2.33	3.94 (3.01-4.87)	6.68 ± 3.8	4.46 (3.47-5.46)	-0.53 (-1.88 to 0.83)	0.448
Week 4 (n = 51)	6.08 ± 2.42	4.12 (3.20-5.03)	6.04 ± 3.88	3.82 (2.83-4.82)	0.29 (-1.06 to 1.64)	0.671
Week 5 (n = 51)	6.50 ± 2.67	4.54 (3.62-5.46)	6.20 ± 3.58	3.98 (2.99-4.98)	0.56 (-0.8 to 1.91)	0.420
Week 6 (n = 51)	6.35 ± 2.81	4.38 (3.47-5.3)	7.08 ± 3.5	4.86 (3.87-5.86)	-0.48 (-1.83 to 0.87)	0.488
Week 7 (n = 51)	6.35 ± 2.42	4.38 (3.47-5.3)	6.04 ± 2.91	3.82 (2.83-4.82)	0.56 (-0.79 to 1.91)	0.415
Week 8 (n = 50)	6.00 ± 2.14	4.02 (3.09-4.95)	6.00 ± 3.07	3.78 (2.79-4.78)	0.23 (-1.12 to 1.59)	0.736
Stool consistency
Baseline (n = 52)	2.31 ± 0.78	-	2.08 ± 0.82	-	-	0.30
Week 1 (n = 51)	4.17 ± 1.02	1.87 (1.55-2.18)	3.53 ± 1.15	1.45 (1.12-1.78)	0.41 (-0.04 to 0.87)	0.075
Week 2 (n = 50)	4.70 ± 0.74	2.40 (2.08-2.72)	4.01 ± 0.96	1.93 (1.61-2.26)	0.47 (0.01 to 0.93)	0.045
Week 3 (n = 50)	4.55 ± 0.92	2.24 (1.92-2.57)	3.96 ± 0.87	1.88 (1.56-2.21)	0.36 (-0.10 to 0.82)	0.123
Week 4 (n = 51)	4.65 ± 0.83	2.34 (2.02-2.66)	4.08 ± 0.78	2.00 (1.67-2.32)	0.34 (-0.11 to 0.80)	0.142
Week 5 (n = 51)	4.48 ± 0.54	2.17 (1.85-2.49)	4.15 ± 0.88	2.07 (1.74-2.40)	0.10 (-0.36 to 0.55)	0.675
Week 6 (n = 51)	4.36 ± 0.57	2.05 (1.73-2.37)	4.23 ± 0.79	2.16 (1.83-2.48)	-0.11 (-0.56 to 0.35)	0.650
Week 7 (n = 51)	4.30 ± 0.49	2.00 (1.68-2.31)	4.00 ± 0.88	1.92 (1.59-2.25)	0.08 (-0.38 to 0.53)	0.740
Week 8 (n = 50)	4.18 ± 0.38	1.87 (1.55-2.2)	4.10 ± 0.73	2.02 (1.69-2.34)	-0.14 (-0.60 to 0.32)	0.546

Data are presented by mean ± SD and mean change with 95%CI. PEG: Polyethylene glycol.