GOS Prebiotic Effect in Children Constipation

July 2, 2014 updated by: Celia Aparecida Valbon Beleli, University of Campinas, Brazil

Effect of the Prebiotic 4'Galactooligosaccharides in Children and Adolescents With Functional Constipation

Some prebiotics are useful for improving symptoms related to constipation, but clinical trials including infants and older children are scarce. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of galactooligosaccharides (GOS) on functional constipation in children and adolescents. Twenty children aged 4 to 16 years of age, who spontaneously sought medical care at a primary healthcare unit, received 1.7g GOS or placebo (Maltodextrin) treatment for 30 days, followed by a 15-day washout period and a 30-day use of an alternative product. A clinical score was calculated at baseline, at the 15th (D15) and 30th (D30) day of each period, to assess bowel movement frequency, straining/ pain during defecation and stool consistency. Oral anal transit time with activated charcoal was determined at baseline and D30 of each period.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Constipation is a common symptom in the pediatric clinics. It is usually defined in terms of difficulty of passage of faeces, faecal consistency and frequency of evacuation. A diet containing high amounts in fiber can promote beneficial effects constipation therapy. Beside the fiber, functional foods, such as prebiotics, have been considered useful to regulate bowel movements. Prebiotic is defined as nondigestible food components that affect the host for stimulating selectively growth of potentially beneficial bacteria in the intestines, specially the colon. Nowadays, there are few clinical trials evaluating prebiotic use for relieving constipation symptoms in children. This clinical trial aimed to evaluate the effect of Galactooligossacharides (GOS) on constipated children. The trial consisted of a 75-day period double blind intervention, controlled with placebo and cross over delimitation, with two sequences of evaluation and two treatments, placebo and galactooligossacharides. It included 20 children (4-16 years) with functional constipation defined by the ROMA III criteria. Children have received 6g of GOS or 6g Maltodextrin (placebo), the solution was ingested for 30 days, followed by a washout period of 15 days, and afterwards, 30 more days of GOS or Maltodextrin, alternately with the product ingested in the first 30 days. The study was designed according to crossover delimitation (GOS and Placebo). Eleven patients were evaluated according to the sequence GOS/placebo and nine patients with the sequence Placebo/GOS. A severity score was measured at the beginning, 2nd and 4th week in each experiment. Clinical scores, elaborated for this Trial, were used to evaluate the effect of the products considering: stool frequency, presence of pain/discomfort/effort during evacuation, consistency of stool and loss of appetite or early satiety. Scores were calculated at day zero (D0), 15th day (D15) and 30th day (D30) of the study, in each phase of the "crossover". Oroanal transit evaluation was performed on D0 and D30 of each sequence, by activated charcoal ingestion.

Descriptive analysis trough measures of position and dispersion were realized for numerical variables. ANOVA was used for the analysis of GOS effect. The significance level assumed for the statistical tests was 5%. The GOS presented significant effect compared to placebo, reducing the stool consistency p< 0,0001 and rising the stool frequency, p=0,0014. The value of the oroanal transit time were significant lower in GOS period, p<0,0001. GOS was effective at the improvement of mild constipation symptoms and may represent an alternative option for the therapy of this condition.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
20

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 1

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

4 years to 16 years (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Functional constipation defined by Rome III criteria
  • Consent form signed by parent or guardian

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with systemic, genetic or neurological diseases.
  • Lactose intolerance
  • Laxative use
  • Probiotic use
  • Antibiotic use during the study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Placebo Comparator: Maltodextrin
6 mL once a day diluted in juice during 30 days.
Drug: Maltodextrin
6 mL once a day
Other Names:
  • Placebo
Active Comparator: Galactooligosaccharide prebiotic
6 mL once a day diluted in juice during 30 days.
Dietary supplement: Galactooligosaccharide prebiotic
6 mL once a day

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Evidence of constipation improvement after GOS use in children compared to use of placebo.
Time Frame: within 30 days of GOS use.
within 30 days of GOS use.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Campinas, Brazil

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Celia Beleli, Master, University of Campinas

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 1, 2010

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 1, 2012

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 26, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 2, 2014

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 8, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 8, 2014

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 2, 2014

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 366/2009
  • 0280.0.146.000-09 (Other Identifier: CAAE)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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