Salt Water and Constipation Relief
December 30th, 2007 | by admin |A survey conducted to treat the patients of constipation by salt water flush. The number of stools and their consistency and ease of evacuation, together with any other symptoms or adverse effects, were noted daily. From the weight of medication administered the number of doses per patient and the daily dose for each treatment were estimated. Total cost and cost per stool for each treatment were calculated.To compare the efficacy, we tested the null hypothesis that there was no statistical difference between the two preparations. A difference of 0.2 in stool frequency per day was set as being important. The power of the test was set at 80% and the significance level of 5% chosen. From the results of a pilot study the standard difference was calculated, and the Altman nomogram method 7 gave a sample size of 85 in order to avoid a type II statistical error in accepting the null hypothesis.