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Types of Studies | Randomized controlled trials with no language restriction |
Excluded secondary reports and conference proceedings or abstracts without sufficient information, review articles and editorials |
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Types of participants | Included: any age, chronic or new diagnosis of FC or IBS-C using Rome IV criteria, patient report of assessment by a physician or investigator |
Excluded: participants with constipation secondary to an underlying condition such as Hirschsprung’s disease, prior bowel surgery, hypothyroidism, inflammatory bowel disease, or celiac disease |
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Type of interventions and comparators | Interventions: kiwifruit, kiwifruit-extracts or supplements containing kiwifruit or its enzyme actinidin, given in any form by mouth (whole fruit, capsules, chewable tablets, or powder) and at any dose for any duration of time |
Comparators: any non-kiwifruit oral laxative or placebo or no treatment |
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Types of outcome measures | (i) Frequency of spontaneous and/or complete bowel movements (defined as a bowel movement that is spontaneous without any rescue laxatives, suppositories, enemas or other physical assistance, and leaves a feeling of complete evacuation) |
(ii) Stool consistency according to the Bristol Stool Scale (scale range is 1-7, where 1 is hardest stools and 7 is diarrhea) |
(iii) Frequency of straining with bowel movement |
(iv) Relief of abdominal pain |
(v) Proportion of bowel urgency or tenesmus |
(vi) Frequency of rescue laxatives used |
(vii) Rome diagnostic criteria for FC or IBS-C measured at baseline and at time primary outcome is assessed |
(viii) Adverse events reported (e.g., bloating, nausea, vomiting, allergic reactions) |
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