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What
conclusion can be drawn from these results about the effectiveness
of the three laxatives?
You
answered:
 | The
beneficial effects of the combination laxative were due to
improved colonic transit time. |
INCORRECT
The
combination laxative appears to be the most effective in that
it was associated with significantly fewer patients with continuing
constipation at the end of the trial than either the softening
agent or the bulking laxative. The combination laxative also produced
the greatest increase in bowel movement frequency, although it
did not reach statistical significance. These results might have
been achieved by the use of larger amounts of the combined laxative
than either the softener or bulking laxative, but in fact the
volumes of the combined laxative consumed were significantly less
than those of either of the other two preparations, especially
the bulking laxative. The very large volume of the latter was
due to the need to take at least 150 ml of water with each dose
of bulking agent. The combined laxative is thus not only more
effective but also more potent on a volume basis. How such a clinical
response correlates with effects on transit time cannot be known
as no such measures were included in the trial.
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