***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: CONTEXT The section of a research article most likely to be read is the abstract , and therefore it is particularly important that the abstract reflect the article faithfully . OBJECTIVE To assess abstract s accompanying research articles published in 6 medical journals with respect to whether data in the abstract could be verified in the article itself . DESIGN Analysis of simple r and om sample s of 44 articles and their accompanying abstract s published during 1 year(July 1 , 1996-June 30 , 1997 ) in each of 5 major general medical journals ( Annals of Internal Medicine , BMJ , JAMA , Lancet , and New Engl and Journal of Medicine ) and a consecutive sample of 44 articles published during 15 months ( July 1 , 1996-August 15 , 1997 ) in the CMAJ . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Abstract s were considered deficient if they contained data that were either inconsistent with corresponding data in the article 's body ( including tables and figures ) or not found in the body at all . RESULTS The proportion of deficient abstract s varied widely ( 18%-68 % ) and to a statistically significant degree ( P<.001 ) among the 6 journals studied . CONCLUSIONS Data in the abstract that are inconsistent with or absent from the article 's body are common , even in large-circulation general medical journals OBJECTIVE . Our aim was to compare 2 laxatives , namely , polyethylene glycol 3350 without electrolytes and milk of magnesia , evaluating the efficacy , safety , acceptance , and 1-year outcomes . METHODS . Seventy-nine children with chronic constipation and fecal incontinence were assigned r and omly to receive polyethylene glycol or milk of magnesia and were treated for 12 months in tertiary care pediatric clinics . Children were counted as improved or recovered depending on resolution of constipation , fecal incontinence , and abdominal pain after 1 , 3 , 6 , and 12 months . An intent-to-treat analysis was used . Safety was assessed with evaluation of clinical adverse effects and blood tests . RESULTS . Thirty-nine children were assigned r and omly to receive polyethylene glycol and 40 to receive milk of magnesia . At each follow-up visit , significant improvement was seen in both groups , with significant increases in the frequency of bowel movements , decreases in the frequency of incontinence episodes , and resolution of abdominal pain . Compliance rates were 95 % for polyethylene glycol and 65 % for milk of magnesia . After 12 months , 62 % of polyethylene glycol-treated children and 43 % of milk of magnesia-treated children exhibited improvement , and 33 % of polyethylene glycol-treated children and 23 % of milk of magnesia-treated children had recovered . Polyethylene glycol and milk of magnesia did not cause clinical ly significant side effects or blood abnormalities , except that 1 child was allergic to polyethylene glycol . CONCLUSIONS . In this r and omized study , polyethylene glycol and milk of magnesia were equally effective in the long-term treatment of children with constipation and fecal incontinence .  Polyethylene glycol was safe for the long-term treatment of these children and was better accepted by the children than milk of magnesia Background Chronic constipation represents a common problem in children . The treatment of functional constipation is challenging . Some studies have investigated the effect of prokinetic agents as potential therapies for motility disorders of the lower gastrointestinal tract with paradoxical results . The present study aim ed to investigate the effect of oral domperidone in the treatment of chronic functional constipation in children . Method A total of 105 children with chronic functional constipation ( according to Rome III criteria ) who were referred to the Pediatric Gastroenterology Clinic were recruited in this double-blind r and omized clinical trial . The study subjects were r and omly divided into two groups , the first of which received polyethylene glycol ( PEG ) solution 0.6 g/kg/day two times a day for 6 months and domperidone syrup 0.15 mL/kg three times a day for 3 months ( case group ) while the second one received PEG with the same dose for 6 months and placebo for 3 months with the same dose ( control group ) . The two groups were compared regarding their symptoms and Rome III criteria through 1 , 3 , and 6 months following therapy . Primary outcome was response to treatment , and a response was defined as decrease in signs and symptoms that did not fulfill Rome III criteria . Secondary outcome measures were side effects during the course of treatment . Results A significant difference was observed both before and after PEG and domperidone treatment and before and after PEG and placebo treatment regarding Rome III criteria . There was no significant difference in response to treatment between the two study groups during 1 ( p = 1 ) , 3 ( p = 0.799 ) , and 6 ( p = 0.403 ) month follow up periods . Also , the two groups were not significantly different regarding the Rome III criteria during the mentioned follow up periods . There were no side effects during the course of treatment . Conclusion There was no additional effect of domperidone as adjunct to PEG in the treatment of children with constipation Background : Recently , polyethylene glycol ( PEG 3350 ) has been suggested as a good alternative laxative to lactulose as a treatment option in paediatric constipation . However , no large r and omised controlled trials exist evaluating the efficacy of either laxative . Aims : To compare PEG 3350 ( Transipeg : polyethylene glycol with electrolytes ) with lactulose in paediatric constipation and evaluate clinical efficacy/side effects . Patients : One hundred patients ( aged 6 months–15 years ) with paediatric constipation were included in an eight week double blinded , r and omised , controlled trial . Methods : After faecal disimpaction , patients < 6 years of age received PEG 3350 ( 2.95 g/sachet ) or lactulose ( 6 g/sachet ) while children ⩾6 years started with 2 sachets/day . Primary outcome measures were : defecation and encopresis frequency/week and successful treatment after eight weeks . Success was defined as a defecation frequency ⩾3/week and encopresis ⩽1 every two weeks . Secondary outcome measures were side effects after eight weeks of treatment . Results : A total of 91 patients ( 49 male ) completed the study . A significant increase in defecation frequency  ( PEG 3350 : 3 pre v 7 post treatment/week ; lactulose : 3 pre v 6 post/week ) and a significant decrease in encopresis frequency  ( PEG 3350 : 10 pre v 3 post/week ; lactulose : 8 pre v 3 post/week ) was found in both groups ( NS ) . However , success was significantly higher in the PEG group ( 56 % ) compared with the lactulose group ( 29 % ) . PEG 3350 patients reported less abdominal pain , straining , and pain at defecation than children using lactulose .  However , bad taste was reported significantly more often in the PEG group . Conclusions : PEG 3350 ( 0.26 ( 0.11 ) g/kg ) , compared with lactulose ( 0.66 ( 0.32 ) g/kg ) , provided a higher success rate with fewer side effects . PEG 3350 should be the laxative of first choice in childhood constipation OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy and safety of polyethylene glycol ( PEG ) 3350 in the treatment of childhood fecal impaction . METHODS This was a prospect i ve , double-blind , parallel , r and omized study of 4 doses of PEG 3350 ; 0.25 g/kg per day , 0.5 g/kg per day , 1 g/kg per day , 1.5 g/kg per day , given for 3 days in children with constipation for > 3 months and evidence of fecal impaction . RESULTS Forty patients completed the study ( 27 boys , median age 7.5 , range 3.3 - 13.1 years ) .  Disimpaction occurred in 75 % of children , with a significant difference between the two higher doses and the lower doses ( 95 % vs 55 % , P < .005 ) . All groups had an increased number of bowel movements during the 5-day study versus baseline , respectively : 6.5 versus 1.1 ( P < .005 ) , 8.0 versus 1.3 ( P < .005 ) , 10.9 versus 1.7 ( P < .005 ) , and 12.3 versus 1.4 ( P < .005 ) . Adverse effects included nausea ( 5 % ) , vomiting ( 5 % ) , bloating ( 18 % ) , cramping ( 5 % ) , and diarrhea ( 13 % ) . Diarrhea and bloating were more prevalent ( P < .02 ) in the higher-dose than in the lower-dose group . No clinical ly significant changes in electrolytes were noted . CONCLUSIONS The 3-day administration of PEG 3350 is safe and effective in the treatment of childhood fecal impaction at doses of 1 and 1.5 g/kg per day Background : Polyethylene glycol ( PEG ) is often considered as the first-line treatment for functional constipation in children .  Descurainia sophia ( L. ) Webb et Berth ( D. sophia ) is a safe recommended medicine in Iranian folk and Traditional Persian Medicine for the treatment of constipation . Objectives : To clinical ly compare D. sophia with PEG 4000 ( without electrolyte ) in pediatric constipation and to assess its efficacy and side effects . Patients and Methods : 120 patients aged 2 - 12 years with constipation for at least 3 months were included in an 8 weeks lasting r and omized controlled trial within two parallel-groups . Children received either PEG , 0.4 g/kg/day , or D. sophia seeds , 2 grams ( for children aged 2 - 4 years ) and 3 grams ( for those aged > 4 years ) per day . Results : A total of 109 patients completed the study ( 56 in D. sophia and 53 in PEG group ) . At the end of the study , 36 ( 64.3 % ) patients in D. sophia group and 29 ( 54.7 % ) in PEG group were out of Rome III criteria ( P = 0.205 ) . Median weekly stool frequency in 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 weeks of the treatment was found to be 2 , 5 , 5 , 5 in D. sophia and 3 , 4 , 4 , 5 in PEG group ( P = 0.139 , 0.076 , 0.844 , 0.294 ) , respectively . The number of patients who suffered flatulence was less ( 5 , 8.9 % ) in D. sophia group as compared to PEG group ( 6 , 11.3 % ) at the end of the trial ( P = 0.461 ) . D. sophia taste was less tolerated . Conclusions : D. sophia is introduced as a cheap and available medication which can be applied as a safe alternative to conventional PEG in the management of pediatric chronic functional constipation Objectives : The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 2 different polyethylene glycol ( PEG ) doses for the maintenance treatment of functional constipation in children . Methods : Children with functional constipation according to the Rome III criteria were r and omly assigned to receive PEG 4000 at a dose of either 0.7 g/kg ( high-dose group ; n = 45 ) or 0.3 g/kg ( low-dose group ; n = 47 ) for 6 weeks . Adjustment of the therapy was recommended in the event of <3 bowel movements ( BM ) per week or ≥3 BM per day . The primary outcome measure was treatment success , defined as ≥3 BM per week with no fecal soiling during the last week of the intervention . Results : A total of 90 of 92 r and omized children , with a mean age of 3.7 ± 2.1 years , completed the study . In the analysis based on allocated treatment , treatment success was similar in both groups ( relative risk 0.9 , 95 % confidence interval 0.78–1.03 ) . Compared with the high-dose PEG group , the low-dose PEG group had an increased need for therapy adjustment of borderline significance ( relative risk 2.0 , 95 % confidence interval 1.0–4.2 ) , an increased risk of painful defecation , a lower number of stools per week , and lower parental satisfaction . Adverse events were similar in both groups . Conclusions : To achieve treatment success , both tested doses of PEG were equally safe and effective in the treatment of children with functional constipation Background Chronic constipation is frequent in children . The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of PEG 4000 and lactulose for the treatment of chronic constipation in young children . Methods This r and omised , double-blind study enrolled 88 young children aged 12 to 36 months , who were r and omly assigned to receive lactulose ( 3.3 g per day ) or PEG 4000 ( 8 g per day ) for four weeks . The primary efficacy variable was stool frequency during the fourth week of treatment . Secondary outcomes were the number and frequency of subjective symptoms associated with defecation at each visit . Results Stool frequency was comparable in the two groups at baseline ( lactulose : 0.7 ± 0.5 ; PEG 4000 : 0.5 
    Output:
    
Patients who received PEG were significantly less likely to require additional laxative therapies .
Common adverse events in these studies included diarrhoea , abdominal pain , nausea , vomiting and pruritis ani .
The pooled analyses suggest that PEG preparations may be superior to placebo , lactulose and milk of magnesia for childhood  constipation  .
There is also evidence suggesting the efficacy of liquid paraffin ( mineral oil ) .
There is no evidence to demonstrate the superiority of lactulose when compared to the other agents studied , although there is a lack of placebo controlled studies .