Clinical response to dietary fiber treatment of chronic constipation. Voderholzer WA, Schatke W, Muhldorfer BE, Klauser AG, Birkner B, Muller-Lissner SA. Medizinische Klinik, Klinikum Innenstadt, University of Munich, Germany. OBJECTIVES: To determine the clinical outcome of dietary fiber therapy in patients with chronic constipation. METHODS: One hundred, forty-nine patients with chronic constipation (age 53 yr, range 18-81 yr, 84% women) at two gastroenterology departments in Munich, Germany, were treated with Plantago ovata seeds, 15-30 g/day, for a period of at least 6 wk. Repeated symptom evaluation, oroanal transit time measurement (radiopaque markers), and functional rectoanal evaluation (proctoscopy, manometry, defecography) were performed. Patients were classified on the basis of the result of dietary fiber treatment: no effect, n = 84; improved, n = 33; and symptom free, n = 32. RESULTS: Eighty percent of patients with slow transit and 63% of patients with a disorder of defecation did not respond to dietary fiber treatment, whereas 85% of patients without a pathological finding improved or became symptom free. CONCLUSION: Slow GI transit and/or a disorder of defecation may explain a poor outcome of dietary fiber therapy in patients with chronic constipation. A dietary fiber trial should be conducted before technical investigations, which are indicated only if the dietary fiber trial fails. Am J Gastroenterol 1997 Jan;92(1):95-8 Int J Nurs Stud, 11/03 Nutrition, 11-12/03 Am J Clin Nutr, 4/03 RCT of Rye Bran Bread & Prostate Cancer Wheat Bran & Resistant Starch Benefits Fecal Indexes Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.