Table 1.

Demographics and results of colonic transit, balloon expulsion test, and rectal area on scout film (RASF) in patients evaluated for constipation with rectal evacuation disorder (RED) and no RED.

Characteristics	RED (n=74)	No RED (n=202)	P value
Age, years	30.5 [25; 42.3]	45 [28; 56.3]
Sex (female)	50 (67.5)	172 (85.2)
Body mass index (kg/m2)	21.8 [18.9; 25.0]	22.2 [19.3; 25.4]
Current narcotic use	7 (9.5)	33 (16.3)
Prior hysterectomy	3 (7.9)	24 (18.3)
Prior delivery	7 (14.6)	74 (48.1)
Number of births
• None	41 (82.0)	80 (47.9)
• One	1 (2.0)	24 (14.4)
• Two	6 (12)	40 (23.9)
• Three or more	2 (4)	23 (13.8)
Digital Rectal Examination
Absent perineal descent	62 (88.6)	96 (51.1)	<0.001
Puborectalis tenderness	40 (54.0)	58 (28.7)	<0.001
Increased resting anal tone	41 (56.2)	42 (21.6)	<0.001
Increased anal squeeze	15 (22.1)	2 (1.1)	<0.001
Paradoxical contraction	41 (68.3)	83 (45.1)	<0.001
Impaired anal relaxation	7 (11.7)	6 (3.3)	<0.001
Colonic transit
Geometric center 24 hours	1.8 [1.5; 2.4], n=61	1.9 [1.6; 2.3], n=163	0.47
Slow colonic transit at 24h (<1.3)	4/61	11/163	0.9
Geometric center 48 hours	2.7 [2.0; 3.7], n=42	2.7 [2.2; 3.9], n=119	0.84
Slow colonic transit at 48h (<1.9)	6/42	5/119	0.03
Balloon expulsion test
Balloon weight (g) n=211	564 [384; 564]	0 [0; 564]	<0.001
Balloon time (sec) n=61	31 [20; 60]	13 [7; 23]	0.003
Rectal area
Rectal area on scout film (cm2)	9.48 ± 1.99, n=38	6.09 ± 0.93, n=103	0.13
RASF >9cm2	15/38 (39.5%)	27/103 (26.2 %)	0.15

Data presented as N (%); median [interquartile range]; or mean±SEM.

Normal colonic transit data based on measurements in 145 females and 75 males for geometric center (GC) 24, and 136 females and 63 males for GC 48:

Median (5th, 95th %) GC 24h: 2.3 (1.3, 4.4)

GC48h: 3.8 (1.9, 5.0)