Table 4.
Change in rigidity in relation to initiating maintenance laxative, based on 1493 measurements in 79 patients
| (a) Effect of laxatives overall on flexor and extensor rigidity and their ratio | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Measurement | Change (% per year) * mean (95% CI) | Shift (%) mean (95% CI) | |
| Pre‐intervention | Post‐intervention | At intervention | |
| Flexor rigidity | 5.5 (1.4–9.7) | −1.6 (−3.8–0.7) | −2.5 (−8.6–4.0) |
| P‐value | 0.008 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Extensor rigidity | 1.1 (−2.6–5.0) | 0.9 (−1.8–3.6) | 2.4 (−4.9–10.3) |
| P‐value | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Flexor/Extensor ratio | 4.9 (0.8–9.2) | −2.3 (−4.9–0.3) | −4.6 (−11.3–2.7) |
| P‐value | 0.02 | 0.08 | 0.2 |
| (b) Comparison of effect of different laxative classes on flexor rigidity | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Class of laxative | Change in flexor rigidity (% per year) * mean (95% CI) | Shift (%) mean (95% CI) | |
| Pre‐intervention | Post‐intervention | At intervention | |
| Bulk | 5.2 (1.4–9.2) | −1.2 (−3.9–1.5) | −0.7 (−8.2–7.4) |
| P‐value | 0.007 | 0.4 | 0.9 |
| Osmotic | 4.5 (1.0–8.0) | −0.1 (−3.0–2.9) | −6.8 (−13.5–0.3) |
| P‐value | 0.01 | 0.9 | 0.06 |
| Enterokinetic | 2.6 (0.3–4.9) | −0.7 (−7.1–6.0) | −0.4 (−8.6–8.5) |
| P‐value | 0.02 | 0.8 | 0.9 |
*
Adjusted for effects of time‐varying covariates: antiparkinsonian medication by class, β‐blocker and antidepressant medication and antimicrobial courses.