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. 2024 Jun 26;183(9):3943–3958. doi: 10.1007/s00431-024-05639-8

Table 3.

Analysis of Rome III Diagnostic Questionnaire for the Pediatric Functional GI Disorders in the TRP group pre- and post-intervention

Variables Pre-treatment
(n = 200)
Post-treatment
(n = 200)
Test of significance
1. In the last 2 months, how often did you usually have poops?
 ▪ 2 times a week or less often 164 (83%) 84 (42%)

MC = 74.30

P < 0.001*

 ▪ 3 to 6 times a week 36 (18%) 92 (46%)
 ▪ Once a day 0 (0%) 24 (12%)
 ▪ 2 to 3 times a day 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
 ▪ More than 3 times a day 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
2. In the last 2 months, what was your poop usually like?
 ▪ Very hard 144 (72%) 16 (8%)

MC = 222.933

P < 0.001*

 ▪ Hard 56 (28%) 64 (32%)
 ▪ Not too hard and not too soft 0 100 (50%)
 ▪ Very soft or mushy 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
 ▪ Watery 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
 ▪ It depends (my poops are not always the same) 20 (10%) 16 (8%)
2a. If your poops were usually hard, for how long have they been hard?
 ▪ Less than 1 month 4 (2%) 16 (8%)

MC = 32.76

P < 0.001*

 ▪ 1 month 8 (4%) 0 (0%)
 ▪ 2 months 80 (40%) 20 (10%)
 ▪ 3 or more months 108 (54%) 64 (32%)
3. In the last 2 months, did it hurt when you had a poop?
 ▪ No 32 (16%) 164 (82%)

χ2 = 174.31

P < 0.001*

 ▪ Yes 168 (84%) 36 (18%)
4. Did you have to rush to the bath-room to poop?
 ▪ Never 0 (0%) 56 (28%)

MC = 151.61

P < 0.001*

 ▪ Once in a while 0 (0%) 48 (24%)
 ▪ Sometimes 16 (8%) 20 (10%)
 ▪ Most of the time 76 (38%) 40 (20%)
 ▪ Always 108 (54%) 36 (18%)
5. Did you have to strain (push hard) to make a poop come out?
 ▪ Never 0 (0%) 128 (64%)

MC = 400

P < 0.001*

 ▪ Once in a while 0 (0%) 72 (36%)
 ▪ Sometimes 16 (8%) 0 (0%)
 ▪ Most of the time 76 (38%) 0 (0%)
 ▪ Always 108 (54%) 0 (0%)
6. Did you pass mucus or phlegm (white, yellowish, stringy, or slimy material) during a poop?
 ▪ Never 0 (0%) 88 (44%)

MC = 349.24

P < 0.001*

 ▪ Once in a while 0 (0%) 88 (44%)
 ▪ Sometimes 16 (8%) 20 (10%)
 ▪ Most of the time 76 (38%) 4 (2%)
 ▪ Always 108 (54%) 0 (0%)
7. Did you have a feeling of not being finished after a poop (like there was more that wouldn’t come out)?
 ▪ Never 0 (0%) 108 (54%)

MC = 334.28

P < 0.001*

 ▪ Once in a while 0 (0%) 72 (36%)
 ▪ Sometimes 16 (8%) 8 (4%)
 ▪ Most of the time 76 (38%) 8 (4%)
 ▪ Always 108 (54%) 4 (2%)
8. In the last 2 months, did you have a poop that was so big that it clogged the toilet?
 ▪ No 20 (10%) 128 (64%)

χ2 = 125.09

P < 0.001*

 ▪ Yes 180 (90%) 72 (36%)
9. Some children hold in their poop even when there is a toilet they could use. They may do this by stiffening their bodies or crossing their legs. In the last 2 months, while at home, how often did you try to hold in a poop?
 ▪ Never 108 (54%) 108 (54%)

MC = 12

P < 0.001*

 ▪ 1 to 3 times a month 40 (20%) 40 (20%)
 ▪ Once a week 40 (20%) 24 (12%)
 ▪ Several times a week 8 (4%) 12 (6%)
 ▪ Every day 4 (2%) 16 (8%)
10. Did a doctor or nurse ever examine you and say that you had a huge poop inside?
 ▪ No 48 (24%) 128 (64%)

χ2 = 64.93

P < 0.001*

 ▪ Yes 152 (76%) 72 (36%)
11. In the last 2 months, how often was your underwear stained or soiled with poop?
 ▪ Never 0 (0%) 156 (78%)

MC = 389.33

P < 0.001*

 ▪ Less than once a month 0 (0%) 40 (20%)
 ▪ 1 to 3 times a month 8 (4%) 4 (2%)
 ▪ Once a week 68 (34%) 0 (0%)
 ▪ Several times a week 72 (36%) 0 (0%)
 ▪ Every day 52 (26%) 0 (0%)
11. a. When you stained or soiled underwear, how much was it stained or soiled?
 ▪ Underwear was stained (no poop) 56 (28%) 40 (90.9%)

MC = 291.46

P < 0.001*

 ▪ Small amount of poop in underwear (less than a whole poop) 76 (38%) 4 (9.1%)
 ▪ Large amount of poop in underwear (a whole poop) 68 (34%) 0 (0%)
11. b. For how long have you stained or soiled your underwear?
 ▪ 1 month or less 16 (8%) 36 (81.8%)

MC = 332.835

P < 0.001*

 ▪ 2 months 20 (10%) 8 (18.2%)
 ▪ 3 months 40 (20%) 0 (0%)
 ▪ 4 to 11 months 68 (34%) 0 (0%)
 ▪ 1 year or longer 56 (28%) 0 (0%)

Data are expressed as number (percent)

MC, Monte Carlo test; χ2, chi-square test

*Statistically significant (P < 0.05)