Do the Symptoms of Chronic Constipation Improve With a Primary Care Programme Based on Behavioural Re-education and Abdominal Massage?

April 5, 2024 updated by: Fundacio d'Investigacio en Atencio Primaria Jordi Gol i Gurina

Do the Symptoms of Chronic Constipation Improve With a Primary Care Programme Based on Behavioural Re-education and Abdominal Massage? A Randomised Control Trial

Constipation is one of the most common digestive problems in today's society. In Spain, it is estimated that this condition affects between 12% and 20% of the population, being more frequent in women, contributing considerably to the quality of life, to the increase of medical visits and to high costs for the health system. The objectives of the study are to reduce the rate of constipation and laxative use in the short term with a structured rehabilitation programme consisting of abdominal massage therapy and behavioural re-education, to improve the quality of life of these patients, and to assess whether the proposed treatment is effective in the short and medium term.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

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

Background: Constipation is one of the most common digestive problems in today's society. In Spain, it is estimated that this condition affects between 12% and 20% of the population, being more frequent in women, contributing considerably to the quality of life, to the increase of medical visits and to high costs for the health system. The objectives of the study are to reduce the rate of constipation and laxative use in the short term with a structured rehabilitation programme consisting of abdominal massage therapy and behavioural re-education, to improve the quality of life of these patients, and to assess whether the proposed treatment is effective in the short and medium term.

Method: Randomised clinical trial. Participants: people with constipation in the region of L'Anoia, Catalonia. There will be 3 groups: the control group (CG), behavioural intervention group (BIG) and behavioural intervention and massage group (BIMG). Constipation will be assessed with the Bristol scale, Rome IV Criteria and the number of laxatives; and quality of life with the CVE-20 Questionnaire.

Participants will be proposed from Primary Care Centres in the region of L'Anoia, Catalonia, Spain.

Inclusion criteria:

  • Having been diagnosed with primary constipation using Rome IV Criteria(11), of more than three months' duration.
  • Understanding Catalan, Spanish or English.

Exclusion criteria:

  • Having constipation secondary to neurogenic, metabolic, endocrine or postoperative diseases.
  • Having constipation secondary to medication for other pathologies, the medication list for which can be found in the annex.
  • Having any type of open abdominal and/or anal wound, such as a recent abdominal scar or anal fissure.
  • Meeting any absolute contraindication criteria for the use of abdominal massage therapy, such as an unstable fracture requiring absolute rest and immobilisation, pregnancy or active oncological procedures.
  • Suffering from some type of cognitive, psychiatric or neurological alteration that does not allow to understand the project.

Discussion: Research is needed on conservative, non-pharmacological treatment to try to reduce one of the main conditions affecting public health, and thus reduce the possible illnesses associated with constipation and reduce costs to the health system.

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 (Estimated)

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.
45

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.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Spain
    • Barcelona
      • Igualada, Barcelona, Spain, 08700
        • Cristina Segura Bayona

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Having been diagnosed with primary constipation using Rome IV Criteria(11), of more than three months' duration.
  • Understanding Catalan, Spanish or English.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Having constipation secondary to neurogenic, metabolic, endocrine or postoperative diseases.

    • Having constipation secondary to medication for other pathologies, the medication list for which can be found in the annex.
    • Having any type of open abdominal and/or anal wound, such as a recent abdominal scar or anal fissure.
    • Meeting any absolute contraindication criteria for the use of abdominal massage therapy, such as an unstable fracture requiring absolute rest and immobilisation, pregnancy or active oncological procedures.
    • Suffering from some type of cognitive, psychiatric or neurological alteration that does not allow to understand the project.

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: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

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.
No Intervention: Control group
Habitual treatment
Experimental: behavioural intervention group
Conductual treatment
Behavioral: change of habits
change of habits
Experimental: behavioural intervention and massage group
Conductual and abdominal massage treatment
Other: change of habits + auto abdominal massage
change of habits + auto abdominal massage

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
Degree of constipation
Time Frame: Day 0, Month 3, Month 6
Degree of constipation with Rome IV Criteria
Day 0, Month 3, Month 6
Stool characteristics
Time Frame: Day 0, Month 3, Month 6
Stool characteristics with the Bristol Scale
Day 0, Month 3, Month 6
Quality of life focused on patients with constipation
Time Frame: Day 0, Month 3, Month 6
Quality of life focused on patients with constipation with the CVE-20 questionnaire from an emotional, physical and social viewpoint.
Day 0, Month 3, Month 6
The number of laxatives taken by each participant
Time Frame: Month 3, Month 6
The number of laxatives taken by each participant with an accounting schedule.
Month 3, Month 6

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Other patient characteristics such as sex, age, previous conditions, and level of physical activity with the VREM questionnaire.
Time Frame: Day 0, Month 3, Month 6
Day 0, Month 3, Month 6

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.
Fundacio d'Investigacio en Atencio Primaria Jordi Gol i Gurina

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Universitat de Vic

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 (Actual)

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.
March 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
December 28, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
December 28, 2026

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).
March 18, 2024

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.
April 5, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

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.
April 11, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

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.
April 11, 2024

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.
April 5, 2024

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.
March 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • V.3-06/02/2024

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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.

Clinical Trials on Constipation Chronic Idiopathic

Clinical Trials on change of habits

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings