Understanding the Constipation Conundrum: Predictors of Obtaining an Abdominal Radiograph During the Emergency Department Evaluation of Pediatric Constipation.

Objectives: Many children with constipation who are evaluated in emergency departments (EDs) receive an abdominal radiograph (AR) despite evidence-based guidelines discouraging imaging. The objectives of this study were to identify predictors associated with obtaining an AR and to determine if ARs were associated with a longer length of stay (LOS) among children with constipation evaluated in the ED.

Methods: A review of billing and electronic health records was conducted in an academic pediatric ED for children ages 0 to 17 years who had a primary discharge diagnosis of constipation from July 2013 to June 2014.