Comparison of a Chinese Herbal Medicine (CCH1) and Lactulose as First-Line Treatment of Constipation in Long-Term Care: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Double-Dummy, and Placebo-Controlled Trial
Table 3
Characteristics of patients in baseline period.
Variables
Group, number (%)
value
CCH1
Lactulose
Gender
Female
26 (59.1)
25 (51.0)
0.43
Male
18 (40.9)
24 (49.0)
Age (years)
41–60
9 (20.5)
9 (18.4)
0.59
61–80
17 (38.6)
24 (49.0)
>80
18 (40.9)
16 (32.7)
Mean (SD)
73.4 (13.3)
73.6 (13.2)
0.94
Abdominal surgery
No
30 (68.2)
38 (77.6)
0.30
Yes
14 (31.8)
11 (22.4)
Barthel index*
≤30
31 (70.5)
37 (75.5)
0.83
35–60
6 (13.6)
5 (10.2)
>60
7 (15.9)
7 (14.3)
Median (25th, 75th percentile)
17.5 (0, 45)
10.0 (0, 32.5)
0.59
Severity of constipation†
Group A
21 (47.7)
23 (46.9)
0.84
Group B
15 (34.1)
19 (38.8)
Group C
8 (18.2)
7 (14.3)
History of disease
Hypertension
30 (68.2)
29 (59.2)
0.36
Cerebrovascular disease
22 (50.0)
29 (59.2)
0.37
Diabetes
15 (34.1)
17 (34.7)
0.95
Cardiovascular disease
12 (27.3)
16 (32.7)
0.57
Dementia
9 (20.5)
9 (18.4)
0.79
Anxiety/depression
7 (15.9)
12 (24.5)
0.30
Chronic lung disease
6 (13.6)
5 (10.2)
0.60
Peptic ulcer
4 (9.1)
7 (14.3)
0.43
Anemia
3 (6.8)
5 (10.2)
0.71
Parkinsonism
2 (4.5)
7 (14.3)
0.16
Malignancy except GI origin
2 (4.5)
3 (6.1)
0.99
Chronic hepatitis
2 (4.5)
3 (6.1)
0.99
Chronic kidney disease
1 (2.3)
3 (6.1)
0.61
*Barthel index [26] (0–100) is a scale used to measure performance in basic activities of daily living. A higher number is associated with a better performance. †Participants were classified into three groups according to their bowel performance in the run-in period under the bowel routine protocol in long-term care: group A: received enema more than once a week, group B: received enema once a week or had less than three times of spontaneous bowel movements per week, group C: 3–7 times of spontaneous bowel movements per week under usual care.
