Constipation, diarrhea, and prophylactic laxative bowel regimens in the critically ill: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Prophylactic laxative bowel regimens may prevent constipation in enterally-fed critically ill patients. However, their use may also increase diarrhea. We performed a systematic review to: 1. Explore the epidemiology of constipation and/or diarrhea in critically ill patients; and 2. Appraise trials evaluating prophylactic laxative bowel regimens. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL for publications that reported constipation or diarrhea in critically ill adult patients and/or prophylactic laxative bowel regimens. Results: The proportion of critically ill patients experiencing constipation was reported between 20% and 83% and the proportion experiencing diarrhea was ..