Baseline characteristics and clinical findings
| Boys | Girls | Total | Missing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 109 | n = 60 | n = 169 | ||
| *p<0.05, Mann-Whitney U test. | ||||
| †p<0.05, χ2. | ||||
| Age, years | ||||
| Median | 8.5 | 8.0 | 8.4 | |
| 25th–75th centiles | 7.0–10.5 | 6.9–10.6 | 7.0–10.5 | |
| Age of onset of symptoms, years | ||||
| Median | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.5 | |
| 25th–75th centiles | 1.0–4.0 | 0.0–4.0 | 1.0–4.0 | |
| Defecation frequency/week | ||||
| Median | 2.0 | 1.0* | 2.0 | |
| 25th–75th centiles | 1.0–3.0 | 1.0–2.0 | 1.0–2.0 | |
| <3 times/week | 74% | 88%† | 79% | |
| Encopresis frequency/week (daytime) | ||||
| Median | 10.5 | 8.5 | 10.0 | |
| 25th–75th centiles | 7.0–21.0 | 1.0–21.0 | 5.5–21.0 | |
| ⩾2 times per week | 94% | 73%† | 86% | |
| No encopresis | 6% | 20%† | 11% | |
| Night-time encopresis | 38% | 37% | 37% | |
| Abdominal pain | 57% | 52% | 56% | 2 |
| Pain during defecation | 45% | 47% | 46% | 2 |
| No rectal sensation | 22% | 16% | 20% | 2 |
| Large stools (every 7–30 days) | 63% | 68% | 65% | |
| Palpable abdominal mass | 26% | 18% | 23% | |
| Palpable rectal mass | 32% | 27% | 30% | |