Korean J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr.  2005 Sep;8(2):130-136.

The Correlation of Verbal Expression of Stool, Bristol Stool Form Scale and Colon Transit Time for Children with Gastrointestinal Symptoms

• Lee YJ
• Chung KS

Abstract

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation among descriptions regarding one's stool, Bristol stool form scale and colon transit time (CTT) in children with gastrointestinal symptoms, along with the clinical significance of Bristol stool form scale.
METHODS
489 patients treated in the pediatric department of Severance hospital with gastrointestinal symptoms between May 2002 to May 2004 were included. We analyzed their age, sex, verbal descriptions of stool, Bristol stool form types, and CTT measured by Metcalf's method.
RESULTS
116 children were under 5 years of age, 202 children between 5.1~10, and 171 children 10 years of age or older. Their mean age was 8.2+/-3.9 years. Stools were described as loose in 65 children (13.3%), normal in 221 (45.2%), hard in 188 (38.4%), and mixed (loose+hard) in 15 (3.1%). According to Bristol stool form scale, 57 children(11.7%) were classified as type 1, 66 (13.5%) as type 2, 203 (41.5%) as type 3, 109 (22.3%) as type 4, 36 (7.4%) as type 5, 18 (3.7%) as type 6, and 1 (0.2%) as type 7. Their mean CTT was checked 35.9+/-19.5 hours. Though no significant relationship was observed between age and CTT (p=0.4), a significant relationship was noted among patient's stool description, Bristol stool form scale and CTT (p<0.001). However, concordance between stool description and Bristol stool form was relatively low in the loose stool group (29%) and normal stool group (37%) while high in the hard stool group (87%).
CONCLUSION
Bristol stool form scale could be used in the estimation of CTT in clinical practice.

Keyword

Colon transit time; Stool form scale

MeSH Terms

Child*
Colon*
Humans