| Secco. Review: behavioural interventions plus laxatives are effective for defecation disorders in children, but biofeedback does not add benefit. 2002. Evidence-Based Nursing 5[3], 76 | Abstract of a systematic review. A more recent version for the full review is available |
| Rubin. Constipation in children. 2003. Clinical Evidence [10], 369-374 | Evidence summaries. Full systematic review included already retrieved |
| McGrath et al. Empirically supported treatments in pediatric psychology: constipation and encopresis. 2000. Journal of Pediatric Psychology 25[4], 225-254 | SR on nocturnal enuresis |
| Poenaru et al. The Pediatric Bowel Management Clinic: initial results of a multidisciplinary approach to functional constipation in children. 1997. Journal of Pediatric Surgery 32[6], 843-848 | Already included in review for information and support. No comparison group. Multiple interventions. Behavioural aspect of intervention not described in detail |
| Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. Review of the treatment literature for encopresis, functional constipation, and stool-toileting refusal (Provisional record). 2008. Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects [3] | Provisional abstract of review already retrieved |
| Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. Mind-body interventions for gastrointestinal conditions (Structured abstract). 2008. Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects [4] | Structured abstract of a systematic review: references checked in evidence tables of the full report. Included both adults and children. All studies related to children and constipation already retrieved as individual papers |
| Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. Treating encopresis in people with intellectual disabilities: a literature review (Structured abstract). 2008. Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects [4] | Structured abstract of a systematic review: full paper retrieved |
| Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. The effectiveness of different methods of toilet training for bowel and bladder control (Provisional record). 2008. Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects [4] | Structured abstract of a systematic review already retrieved |
| Klassen et al. The effectiveness of different methods of toilet training for bowel and bladder control. 2006. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment [147], 1-57 | Excluded as a review. Included healthy children, children with learning disabilities and children with organic constipation (spina bifida, anal atresia, and Hirschsprung's disease). Individual references checked to identify children with non organic conditions who could have been constipated in the first place. Baseline bowel function was not reported in the majority of these studies and when it was reported it did not explicitly stated that children were constipated. Constipation was treated in this review as a risk factor impairing effective toilet training |
| Chang et al. Effect of electrical stimulation in constipated patients with impaired rectal sensation. 2003. International Journal of Colorectal Disease 18[5], 433-438 | Adult population |
| Wang et al. Prospective study of biofeedback retraining in patients with chronic idiopathic functional constipation. 2003. World Journal of Gastroenterology 9[9], 2109-2113 | Mostly adult population (mean age: 52.6 years, range 10 to 71) |
| Heymen et al. Biofeedback treatment of constipation: a critical review. 2003. Diseases of the Colon and Rectum 46[9], 1208-1217 | Low quality systematic review. Included both adults and children. References for individual studies in children checked and relevant individual studies retrieved |
| Brooks et al. Review of the treatment literature for encopresis, functional constipation, and stool-toileting refusal. 2000. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 22[3], 260-267 | Low quality systematic review. References for individual studies checked and relevant studies retrieved |
| Taichert. Childhood encopresis: a neurodevelopmental-family approach to management. 1971. California Medicine 115[2], 11-18 | Case studies: 5 children. Combined interventions: stool softener+ psychopharmacological drugs+ diet+ family therapy |
| Gavanski. Treatment of non-retentive secondary encopresis with imipramine and psychotherapy. 1971. Canadian Medical Association Journal 104[1], 46-48 | 3 case studies |
| Rao et al. How useful are manometric tests of anorectal function in the management of defecation disorders? 1997. American Journal of Gastroenterology 92[3], 469-475 | Only 48% of total sample diagnosed with “constipation”. Unclear whether this was idiopathic. Intervention aspect in the study poorly reported, better studies available |
| Loening-Baucke. Constipation in early childhood: patient characteristics, treatment, and longterm follow up. 1993. Gut 34[10], 1400-1404 | Prospective case series. Mixed interventions (laxatives + diet +toilet training). Better studies available |
| Liebman. Disorders of defecation in children: evaluation and management. 1979. Postgraduate Medicine 66[2], 105-108 | Prospective case series. Mixed interventions (mainly laxatives + dietary advice + advice on how to sit in potty/toilet). Outcomes poorly reported. Better studies available |
| Palsson et al. Biofeedback treatment for functional anorectal disorders: A comprehensive efficacy review. 2004. Applied Psychophysiology Biofeedback 29[3], 153-174United States. | Low quality systematic review. Included both adults and children References for individual studies checked and relevant studies retrieved |
| Baumann et al. Treatment of incontinent boys with non-obstructive disease. 1974. Journal of Urology 111[1], 114-116 | Suggestion and hypnotherapy were combined with medication (unclear which one). Study very poorly reported (in 1 paragraph) with no details on inclusion/exclusion criteria, intervention or outcomes |
| Shepherd et al. Faecal incontinence in childhood: A multidisciplinary approach including biofeedback. 1989. Australian Paediatric Journal 25[6], 351-355Australia. | Prospective case series. 7/98 children included had organic causes of constipation. Outcomes reported for children who received biofeedback were all not clinical and therefore not relevant to this guideline |
| Carr. The effectiveness of family therapy and systemic interventions for child-focused problems. 2009. Journal of Family Therapy 31[1], 3-45 | Excluded as a review as it included interventions for different problems. Individual references related to encopresis already retrieved |
| Cox et al. Contribution of behavior therapy and biofeedback to laxative therapy in the treatment of pediatric encopresis. 1998. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 20[2], 70-76 | First report of a RCT already included in our review |
| Davis et al. A pilot study of encopretic children treated by behaviour modification. 1977. Practitioner 219[1310], 228-230 | Case series. pilot study, 11 children, unclear whether children were constipated |
| Cox et al. Simple electromyographic biofeedback treatment for chronic pediatric constipation/encopresis: preliminary report. 1994. Biofeedback and Self Regulation 19[1], 41-50 | Non-randomised study. RCTs using the same comparison already included in our review |
| van Ginkel et al. The effect of anorectal manometry on the outcome of treatment in severe childhood constipation: a randomized, controlled trial. 2001. Pediatrics 108[1], E9 | Anorectal manometry as psycho-behavioural intervention not included in the guideline scope |
| Lancioni et al. Treating Encopresis in People with Intellectual Disabilities: a Literature Review. 2001. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 14, 47-63 | Non-systemic review of low quality studies (case reports and case series). Interventions included are not different from the ones used in children who do not have intellectual disabilities |
| Young et al. Functional encopresis: symptom reduction and behavioral improvement. 1995. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics 16[4], 226-232 | Non-randomised study. Comparison non-clinically relevant: encopretic children vs. healthy children. |
| Parker. To do or not to do? That is the question. Pediatric constipation. 1999. Pediatric Annals 28[5], 283-290 | Discussion paper |
| Farrell et al. Management of childhood constipation: parents' experiences. 2003. Journal of Advanced Nursing 44[5], 479-489 | Qualitative study, no effectiveness of intervention assessed. |
| Murphy et al. Enuresis and encopresis. 2001. What Works with Children and Adolescents?: A Critical Review of Psychological Interventions with Children, Adolescents and their Families. Carr, Alan (Ed) [2], 49-64 | Non-systemic review, references checked, no relevant studies identified. |
| Crowley. A comprehensive strategy for managing encopresis. 1984. MCN, American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing 9[6], 395-400 | Uncontrolled study, small sample (18 children). Better studies available assessing this intervention |
| Kohen et al. The use of relaxation-mental imagery (self-hypnosis) in the management of 505 pediatric behavioral encounters. 1984. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics 5[1], 21-25 | Non-systemic review, references checked, no relevant studies identified. |
| Cox et al. Additive benefits of laxative, toilet training, and biofeedback therapies in the treatment of pediatric encopresis. 1996. Journal of Pediatric Psychology 21[5], 659-670 | First report of a RCT already included in our review |
| van der Plas et al. Randomised trial of biofeedback training for encopresis. 1996. Archives of Disease in Childhood 75[5], 367-374 | Subject eligibility was based on the presence of solitary encopresis without any other criteria of constipation-that is, normal stool frequency of 3 times per week or more, no periodic passage of very large amounts of stool, and no palpable abdominal or rectal masses |
| van Everdingen-Faasen et al. Psychosocial co-morbidity affects treatment outcome in children with fecal incontinence. 2008. European Journal of Pediatrics 167[9], 985-989 | Prospective case series. Multiples interventions (laxative, psychosocial interventions, biofeedback). Better studies already included in our review |
| Chiarioni et al. The role of biofeedback in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. 2008. Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology and Hepatology 5[7], 371-382United Kingdom. | Non systematic review. All references checked. All relevant studies already retrieved and already included in our review |
| Matson et al. Encopresis, soiling and constipation in children and adults with developmental disability. 2009. Research in Developmental Disabilities 30[4], 799-807 | Non systematic review. All references checked. All relevant studies already retrieved and already included in our review |
