Table 3 Constipation symptoms in the total study group

Total

892 (100)

405 (100)

487 (100)

298 (100)

299 (100)

294 (100)

 Straining ^a

238 (26.7)

85 (21.0)

153 (31.4)

< 0.001**

110 (36.9)

70 (23.3)

58 (19.7)

< 0.001**

 Incomplete defecation ^a

191 (21.4)

63 (15.6)

128 (26.3)

< 0.001**

88 (29.5)

59 (19.7)

44 (15.0)

< 0.001**

 Anal blockage ^a

125 (14.0)

39 (9.6)

86 (17.7)

0.001**

58 (19.5)

38 (12.7)

29 (9.9)

0.002**

 Hard or lumpy stool consistency

87 (9.8)

30 (7.4)

57 (11.7)

0.03*

32 (10.7)

26 (8.7)

29 (9.9)

0.69

 Stool frequency less than 3 times a week

73 (8.2)

27 (6.7)

46 (9.4)

0.13

41 (13.8)

19 (6.3)

13 (4.4)

< 0.001**

 Using the hands during defecation ^a,b

18 (2.0)

4 (1.0)

14 (2.9)

0.05*

5 (1.7)

5 (1.7)

8 (2.7)

0.58

 Daily failure to defecate

126 (14.1)

38 (9.4)

88 (18.1)

< 0.001**

65 (21.8)

40 (13.3)

21 (7.1)

< 0.001**

 Average straining duration of more than 5 min

132 (14.8)

48 (11.9)

84 (17.2)

0.02*

69 (23.2)

38 (12.7)

25 (8.5)

< 0.001**

 Abdominal bloating

324 (36.3)

120 (29.6)

204 (41.9)

< 0.001**

142 (47.7)

119 (39.7)

63 (21.4)

< 0.001**

 Anal pain ^a

109 (12.2)

36 (8.9)

73 (15.0)

0.006*

62 (20.8)

26 (8.7)

21 (7.1)

< 0.001**

 Abdominal pain ^a

173 (19.4)

46 (11.4)

127 (26.1)

< 0.001**

83 (27.9)

63 (21.0)

27 (9.2)

< 0.001**

 Re-defecation within 1 h of stool passage ^a

159 (17.8)

59 (14.6)

100 (20.5)

0.02*

59 (19.8)

57 (19.0)

43 (14.6)

0.21