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Table 5 Constipation and laxatives among people with prescribed opioids in 2007 and 2013

From: Constipation and laxative use among people living in nursing homes in 2007 and 2013

 

2007

2013

Total

p-value

n

551

485

1036

 

The resident is constipateda n (%)

248/535 (46.4)

226/452 (50.0)

474/987 (48.0)

0.253

The resident has hard stools n (%)

136/531 (25.6)

139/458 (30.3)

275/989 (27.8)

0.097

It is strenuous to defecate n (%)

171/536 (31.9)

137/458 (29.9)

308/994 (31.0)

0.499

The resident defecates less than three times per week n (%)

120/538 (22.3)

133/455 (29.2)

253/993 (25.5)

0.013

Laxatives (A06A), n (%)b

316 (57.4)

374 (77.1)

690 (66.6)

< 0.001

Stimulant laxatives (A06AB) n (%)

107 (19.4)

124 (25.6)

231 (22.3)

0.018

Bulking agents (A06AC) n (%)

15 (2.7)

8 (1.6)

23 (2.2)

0.242

Osmotic laxatives (A06AD) n (%)

280 (50.8)

325 (67.0)

605 (58.4)

< 0.001

Rectally-administered laxatives (A06AG) n (%)

20 (3.6)

13 (2.7)

33 (3.2)

0.385

Residents rated as constipated without laxatives, n (%)

86/248 (34.7)

45/226 (19.9)

131/474 (27.6)

< 0.001

  1. aDefined as constipated if one or more of the three questions; (i) “Does the resident have hard stools?”, (ii) “Is it strenuous for the resident to defecate?”, and (iii) “Does the resident defecate less than three times per week?” were answered with a “yes”. b“Other laxative drugs” are not reported separately because the prevalence in this group was zero