<p>The Humanistic and Economic Burden of Chronic Idiopathic Constipation in the USA: A Systematic Literature Review</p>

Abstract

Background: Chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder with an estimated prevalence of 16% in the USA; however, the humanistic and economic burden of CIC is poorly characterized. Aim: This systematic literature review aimed to assess the humanistic and economic burden of CIC in adults in the USA. Methods: Two systematic literature searches of English-language publications on the humanistic and economic burden of CIC in adults in the USA were conducted using electronic databases and other resources. Both searches included the terms "chronic idiopathic constipation" and "functional constipation". Specific terms used in the search on humanistic burden included "quality of life", "SF-36", "SF-12", and "PAC-QOL"; search terms for economic burden included "cost", "resource use", "absenteeism", and "productivity". Results: Overall, 16 relevant articles were identified. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) appeared to be reduced in patients with CIC compared with controls and the general US population. Abdominal (r=0.33-0.49), stool (r=0.23-0.33), and rectal symptoms (r=0.53) appeared to be associated with reduced HRQoL. Younger age and female sex were associated with reduced overall HRQoL and greater symptom severity. Direct outpatient costs were higher in patients with CIC than those without CIC (US$6284 vs US$5254). Patients with CIC and abdominal symptoms reported more days of disrupted productivity per month than those without abdominal symptoms (3.2 days vs 1.2 days). The overall prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine use by patients with CIC was similar to that in the general US population. Conclusion: The reduced HRQoL and increased costs associated with CIC indicate unmet therapeutic need in this disorder. Further research is required to better understand the humanistic and economic burden of CIC in the USA.

The Effect of Using Rome IV Criteria on the Prevalence of Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders and Functional Constipation among Children of the Western Region of Saudi Arabia

“…The estimated direct annual cost of care for FC and IBS in a US study ranged from 1000 to 7000 dollars, with a lower reported quality of life. 11 , 12 It is estimated that 23% of school-age children with a FGID miss 2-10 days annually in the US and UK. 13 , 14 A large population based survey from our region showed that chronic abdominal pain in adults was the second most common location of chronic pain in a primary care setting.…”

Review of Treatment Options for Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation and Chronic Idiopathic Constipation

“…Patients may also seek complementary or alternative medicines, such as herbs, acupuncture, and homeopathy, 34 , 35 to treat or supplement the treatment of their condition; however, their efficacy in treating symptoms remains inconclusive and controversial, 34 , 36 and these treatments are outside the scope of this review.…”

“…1,26 Antispasmodics are sometimes used to treat abdominal cramping, but they should be used with caution as constipation is a common side effect (Table 2). 26 Patients may also seek complementary or alternative medicines, such as herbs, acupuncture, and homeopathy, 34,35 to treat or supplement the treatment of their condition; however, their efficacy in treating symptoms remains inconclusive and controversial, 34,36 and these treatments are outside the scope of this review.…”

Aberrant functional brain network dynamics in patients with functional constipation

“…It is reported that the global prevalence of FCon ranges from 10.1 to 15.3% (Barberio, Judge, Savarino, & Ford, 2021 ). Although not a life‐threatening disease, FCon seriously influences patients' quality of life and causes high socioeconomic burdens (Arco et al, 2021 ; Nag et al, 2020 ; Serra et al, 2020 ). The pathophysiology of FCon has yet been fully understood.…”