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Table 1 Characteristics of cases with lower defecation frequency (DF) a and controls among hospitalized older adults

From: Risk factors associated with lower defecation frequency in hospitalized older adults: a case control study

Variablesb

Cases (N = 406)

Controls (N = 670)

P value

Mean age (yr) ± SD

79.0 ± 8.2

79.9 ± 8.3

0.104

Female

260 (64%)

440 (66%)

0.586

White

404 (99.5%)

663 (99%)

NA

Admitted from nursing homes

60 (15%)

127 (19%)

0.080

Ex-smoker

94 (23%)

137/667c (21%)

0.313

Current smoker

53 (13%)

70/666c (11%)

0.205

Medical History

   

CAD

139 (34%)

217 (32%)

0.532

COPD

122 (30%)

215 (32%)

0.484

Diabetes

130 (32%)

197 (29%)

0.366

CHF

83 (20%)

172 (26%)

0.051

Depression

95 (23%)

182 (27%)

0.171

Stroke

58 (14%)

108 (16%)

0.420

Cognitive impairment

51 (13%)

114 (17%)

0.05

Medications

   

Muscle relaxant

17 (4%)

11 (2%)

0.016‡d

Anti-cholinergic drugse

88 (22%)

180 (27%)

0.056

Calcium channel blocker

87 (21%)

129 (19%)

0.338

Potassium supplement

74 (18%)

189 (28%)

<0.001‡

Calcium supplement

64 (16%)

143 (21%)

0.024‡

Iron supplement

26 (6%)

79 (12%)

0.004‡

Oral laxativesf

44/261 (17%)

111/458 (24%)

0.021‡

Antibiotic use prior to Admission

32 (8%)

102 (15%)

<0.001‡

Proton pump inhibitor

152 (37%)

266 (40%)

0.460

Diuretics

178 (44%)

336 (50%)

0.045‡

Narcotics

106 (26%)

175 (26%)

0.999

NSAIDS

52 (13%)

73 (11%)

0.343

Anti-cholinergic

51 (13%)

90 (13%)

0.681

Bronchodilators

β2 agonists inhalers

81 (20%)

149 (22%)

0.375

Steroid inhalers

51 (13%)

73 (11%)

0.407

Acute diagnosis g of hospital stay

   

Pneumonia

81 (20%)

126 (19%)

0.644

AECOPD

66 (16%)

81 (12%)

0.054

Acute CHF

52 (13%)

81 (12%)

0.729

Admission blood tests

   

Potassium (mmol/L)

4.1 ± 0.6 (N = 405)

4.1 ± 0.6 (N = 668)

0.993

Calcium (mg/dL)

9.1 ± 0.6 (N = 400)

9.1 ± 0.6 (N = 665)

0.520

Albumin (gm/dL)

3.2 ± 0.53 (N = 343)

3.2 ± 0.52 (N = 600)

0.416

  1. aPatients with less than 3 days of hospital stay were excluded. Lower DF was defined as having either an average DF ≤ 1/3 per day or no defecation in the first 3 days during hospital stay.
  2. bData are presented as number (%) or mean ± SD unless indicated otherwise.
  3. cInformation on ex-smoke and current smoking status was not documented in three and four patients, respectively, of the control group.
  4. dCalculated by Fisher’s exact test.
  5. eAnticholinergic drugs included antipsychotics, H1 antihistamines, antimuscarinic receptor blocker, and antispasmodic drugs.
  6. fInformation on oral laxative use was only available in 261 of 406 (64%) patients in the case group, and in 458 of 670 (68%) patients in the control group.
  7. gOnly the three major diagnoses were listed.
  8. ‡ Significant (p < .05).
  9. Abbreviations:CAD coronary artery disease, CHF congestive heart failure, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, AECOPD Acute exacerbation of COPD, NA not applicable, NSAIDs non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, SD standard deviation.