The Effect of Probiotics on Childhood Constipation: A Randomized Controlled Double Blind Clinical Trial

Table 2

Comparison of symptoms between the beginning and end of the 1st and 4th weeks.

Variables		Treatment (mean ± SD)	Placebo (mean ± SD)	𝑃 value
Stool frequency	Beginning to 1st week	1.67±0.82	0.79±0.83	0.042
	Beginning to 4th week	2.08±0.65	1.54±0.98
	1st to 4th week	0.92±0.72	0.75±0.61
Stool consistency*	Beginning to 1st week	0.42±0.50	0.21±0.41	0.049
	Beginning to 4th week	0.88±0.45	0.63±0.50
	1st to 4th week	0.46±0.51	0.42±0.50

∗Stool consistency: 1: hard, 2: normal, and 3: soft.