Functional Constipation and the Gut Microbiome in Children: Preclinical and Clinical Evidence

David Avelar Rodriguez; Jelena Popov; Elyanne M Ratcliffe; Erick Manuel Toro Monjaraz

doi:10.3389/fped.2020.595531

Functional Constipation and the Gut Microbiome in Children: Preclinical and Clinical Evidence

Front Pediatr. 2021 Jan 20:8:595531. doi: 10.3389/fped.2020.595531. eCollection 2020.

Authors

David Avelar Rodriguez^{1

2}, Jelena Popov³, Elyanne M Ratcliffe⁴, Erick Manuel Toro Monjaraz¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Mexico City, Mexico.
² Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
³ College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
⁴ Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

Abstract

Functional constipation is a common condition in childhood with significant impact on patients' quality of life and on health care resources. Functional constipation is characterized by decreased bowel movements and/or hard stools, which cause significant distress for children and their caregivers. While the term "functional" may imply the absence of organic causes with a focus on behavioral aspects, 40% of children continue to have symptoms beyond conventional management with one in four children continuing to experience constipation into adulthood. The refractory and chronic nature of constipation highlights the importance of considering a range of pathophysiological mechanisms, including the potential role of the gut microbiome. In this review, we provide an overview of preclinical and clinical studies that focus on the potential mechanisms through which the gut microbiome might contribute to the clinical presentation of functional constipation in pediatrics.

Keywords: childhood constipation; functional constipation; functional gastrointestinal disorders; gut microbiome; gut microbiota.

Publication types

Review