High Burden of Constipation Among Autistic Youth: A Nationwide Query Powered by PCORnet

INTRODUCTION: Autism is associated with gastrointestinal problems; however, contemporary data on constipation prevalence and healthcare utilization are lacking. METHODS: We queried >20 million electronic records of youth 6-17 years from 70 Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Network health systems during 2015-2024, identifying diagnoses of autism, constipation, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations. RESULTS: Among 578,807 autistic children, 22% had constipation vs 9% in nonautistic youth. Autistic children with constipation (vs without) had more frequent abdominal pain (34% vs 8%), emergency department visits (26% vs 3%), and hospitalizations for abdominal pain/constipation (16% vs 1%). DISCUSSION: Approximately 1 in 5 autistic children have constipation and experience high unplanned healthcare utilization.