Incontinence-associated dermatitis in older adults in residential care settings: a point prevalence study.

Incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) is a skin inflammation caused by contact with urine or faeces or both. It has a negative effect on the patient's quality of life and is indicative of the care provided. However, globally there is a lack of empirical data on the prevalence of IAD. AIM: To identify, for the first time, the proportion of older adults in extended care settings in Ireland affected by IAD. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, multisite, point prevalence survey, across three community extended care settings for older people in Ireland. METHODS: Two clinical nurse specialists, using the Scottish Excoriation and Moisture Related Skin Damage Tool, identified the presence of IAD through clinical observation and visual skin inspection. IAD prevalence was calculated for the total population and incontinent population sets using percentages and confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: The prevalence of incontinence was 86.4% (n=165), a significantly higher proportion were female (P=0.003). The point prevalence of IAD across the total population and incontinent population was 11.5% (22/191; 95% CI, 7.4-19.9%) and 13.3% (22/164; 95% CI, 8.5-19.5%), respectively. Being incontinent was associated with being female, more dependent (Barthel), having possible cognitive impairment, poorer mobility (Braden and Waterlow) and a high risk of pressure ulcers (Waterlow). A logistic regression analysis found no predictor variables for IAD among the variables that met the cut-off point for this analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides the first point prevalence empirical data on the occurrence of IAD in Ireland. It can inform decision-making on future planning and budgeting of new quality improvement projects and act as a benchmark for ongoing auditing of IAD.

Incontinence in people living with dementia.

Dementia and incontinence are both prevalent in older age; yet, neither are an inevitable or normal part of ageing. It has been recognised that there is a skills and knowledge gap in professionals assessing and managing incontinence for people living with dementia. All too often, assumptions are made that incontinence is a symptom of dementia and that nothing can be done if a person living with dementia experiences episodes of incontinence. While dementia may impact on a person's ability to remain continent, it may not be the sole cause, and there may be treatments and strategies that can reduce the incidence in those affected. Therefore, a person-centred continence assessment should be undertaken to promote continence and reduce the impact of incontinence for people living with dementia and those who care for them. This paper will highlight some of the issues that are important for health and social care professionals to explore and identify, assess and manage incontinence to improve outcomes for families affected by dementia.

Is the varying management of incontinence-associated dermatitis due to a lack of understanding of etiology?

Incontinence-associated dermatitis, previously and sometimes still referred to as moisture lesions or moisture damage, is a commonly seen contact dermatitis that is a reactive response of the skin to chronic contact to urine and faecal matter. Understanding the etiology is fundamental to creating a skin care plan and successfully prevention. Systemic reviews and studies have shown that the continued variability in management results from a combination of knowledge base, observation, diagnosis, and product selection. This article aims to improve clinicians' understanding of incontinence-associated dermatitis and its management.

Primary care providers practice patterns regarding female pelvic floor disorders.

INTRODUCTION: Pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) pose substantial physical and psychological burdens for a growing number of women. Given the ubiquity of these conditions and known patient reluctance to seek care, primary care providers (PCPs) have a unique opportunity to increase treatment and provide appropriate referrals for these patients. METHODS: An online survey was administered to PCPs to assess provider practices, knowledge, comfort managing and ease of referral for PFDs. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between demographic/practice characteristics of PCPs and two primary outcomes of interest: discomfort with management and difficulty with referral of PFDs. RESULTS: Of the 153 respondents to the survey, more felt comfortable managing stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and overactive bladder (OAB), compared with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and faecal incontinence (FI) and were less likely to refer patients with urinary symptoms. Few providers elicited symptoms for POP and FI as compared with SUI and OAB. Provider variables that were significantly associated with discomfort with management varied by PFD, but tended to correlate with less exposure to PFDs (eg, those with fewer years of practice, and internal medicine and family physicians as compared with geriatricians); whereas the factors that were significantly associated with difficulty in referral, again varied by PFD, but were related to practice characteristics (eg, specialist network, type of practice, practice setting and quantity of patients). CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the need to increase PCPs awareness of PFDs and develop effective standardised screening protocols, as well as collaboration with pelvic floor specialists to improve screening, treatment and referral for patients with PFDs.

Evaluation of functional gastrointestinal disorders in children aged 4-10 years with autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal system disorders are known to be prevalent among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Some ASD-associated comorbidities are abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, gastroesophageal reflux, sleep disturbances, epilepsy, and psychiatric problems. Nonetheless, there is still limited information about the presence of functional GI disorders (FGIDs) among children with ASD, especially in Türkiye. Using the Rome criteria, we aimed to investigate FGIDs in children with ASD. METHODS: The sample of the study consisted of 68 children aged 4-10 years, diagnosed with ASD according to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and had scores greater than 30 on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS-2) and an age-sex matched control group (n=78). The Rome III criteria were used to evaluate FGIDs. RESULTS: The frequency of FGIDs in the ASD group was higher (76.5%) compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Compared to the control group, abdominal migraine frequency increased 10 times (p=0.012), functional constipation 7 times (p < 0.001), and fecal incontinence 6 times (p < 0.001) in the ASD group. Stool retention was not present in most children in the ASD group who were found to have fecal incontinence. CONCLUSION: In this study, the most common FGIDs in the ASD group were abdominal migraine, functional constipation, and non-retentive fecal incontinence. The finding that most children with ASD who had fecal incontinence did not show stool retention implicated social, psychological, and behavioral factors as the causes of incontinence. Raising awareness of healthcare professionals about the frequency of FGIDs in children with ASD will improve many areas in the daily lives of these children.

Urinary and Fecal Incontinence During Sexual Activity Is Common and Bothersome Among Adults With Spina Bifida.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for urinary fecal incontinence (UI, FI) during sexual activity (UIS, FIS) among adults with spina bifida (SB). METHODS: An international online survey of adults with SB was administered through SB clinics and SB organizations via social media. Adults with a history of masturbation or partnered sexual activity were included. The primary outcome was ever experiencing UIS/FIS. Nonparametric tests and logistic regression were used for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 341 adults met inclusion criteria (median age: 36years, 59% female, 52% shunted, 48% community ambulators). Baseline UI in the last 4weeks was reported by 50% and FI by 41%. Nineteen (5%) had a urostomy. Eight (2%) had a colostomy. Overall, 93% had a history of partnered genital contact. Among adults without a diversion, UIS was more common than FIS (70% vs 45%, P < .001). Among adults without a urostomy, UIS was more common among women (76% vs 62%, P = .01) and those with baseline UI (84% vs 50%, P < .001). UIS was not associated with age, shunt, ambulatory, or catheterization status (P >=.32). On bivariate analysis, female sex and baseline UI were independent predictors of UIS (P <=.001). Among adults without a colostomy, FIS was associated with female sex (50% vs 39%, P = .046), baseline FI (59% vs 32%, P < .001), community ambulation (52% vs 40%, P = .04), but not age, shunt, or MACE status (P >=.27). On multivariate analysis, baseline FI was independently associated with FIS (P < .001). Among adults with UIS/FIS, 29% experienced UIS "almost always" to "always," compared to 5% for FIS (P < .001). Virtually all adults found UIS/FIS bothersome (>=96% for each), even when incontinence occurred "almost never." UIS/FIS mostly occurred before and/or during orgasm than afterward (P < .001). UIS was reported by 53% of adults with a urostomy (100% bothersome). FIS was reported by 38% of adults with a colostomy (100% bothersome). CONCLUSION: Incontinence during sexual activity is a common problem for men and women with SB. Baseline incontinence is an independent, but not absolute, predictor of both. While FIS is less frequent than UIS, both are virtually always bothersome.

Mental health disorders as a risk factor in young patients with rectal prolapse.

BACKGROUND: Rectal prolapse (RP) typically presents in the elderly, though it can present in younger patients lacking traditional risk factors. The current study compares medical and mental health history, presentation, and outcomes for young and older patients with RP. METHODS: This is a single-center retrospective review of patients who underwent abdominal repair of RP between 2005 and 2019. Individuals were dichotomized into two groups based on age greater or less than 40 years. RESULTS: Of 156 patients, 25 were < 40. Younger patients had higher rates of diagnosed mental health disorders (80% vs 41%, p < 0.001), more likely to take SSRIs (p = .02), SNRIs (p = .021), anxiolytics (p = 0.033), and antipsychotics (p < 0.001). Younger patients had lower preoperative incontinence but higher constipation. Both groups had low rates of recurrence (9.1% vs 11.6%, p = 0.73). CONCLUSIONS: Young patients with RP present with higher concomitant mental health diagnoses and represent unique risk factors characterized by chronic straining compared to pelvic floor laxity.

The association between vitamin-D deficiency and fecal incontinence.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin-D is essential for musculoskeletal health. We aimed to determine whether patients with fecal incontinence (FI): (1) are more likely to have vitamin-D deficiency and, (2) have higher rates of comorbid medical conditions. METHODS: We examined 18- to 90-year-old subjects who had 25-hydroxy vitamin-D levels, and no vitamin-D supplementation within 3 months of testing, in a large, single-institutional electronic health records dataset, between 2017 and 2022. Cox proportional hazards survival analysis was used to assess association of vitamin-D deficiency on FI. KEY RESULTS: Of 100,111 unique individuals tested for serum 25-hydroxy vitamin-D, 1205 (1.2%) had an established diagnosis of FI. Most patients with FI were female (75.9% vs. 68.7%, p = 0.0255), Caucasian (66.3% vs. 52%, p = 0.0001), and older (64.2 vs. 53.8, p < 0.0001). Smoking (6.56% vs. 2.64%, p = 0.0001) and GI comorbidities, including constipation (44.9% vs. 9.17%, p = 0.0001), irritable bowel syndrome (20.91% vs. 3.72%, p = 0.0001), and diarrhea (28.55% vs. 5.2%, p = 0.0001) were more common among FI patients. Charlson Comorbidity Index score was significantly higher in patients with FI (5.5 vs. 2.7, p < 0.0001). Significantly higher proportions of patients with FI had vitamin-D deficiency (7.14% vs. 4.45%, p < 0.0001). Moreover, after propensity-score matching, rate of new FI diagnosis was higher in patients with vitamin-D deficiency; HR 1.9 (95% CI [1.14-3.15]), p = 0.0131. CONCLUSION & INFERENCES: Patients with FI had higher rates of vitamin-D deficiency along with increased overall morbidity. Future research is needed to determine whether increased rate of FI in patients with vitamin-D deficiency is related to frailty associated with increased medical morbidities.

Correlation Between Mobile-Application Electronic Bowel Diary and Validated Questionnaires in Women with Fecal Incontinence.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Despite growing interest in a mobile-app bowel diary to assess fecal incontinence (FI) symptoms, data are limited regarding the correlation between mobile-app diary and questionnaire-based outcomes. The primary aim is to determine whether percentage reduction in FI episodes (FIEs)/week recorded on a mobile-app diary correlates with changes in scores of validated FI-symptom measures from baseline to 12 weeks in women with FI undergoing percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) versus sham. METHODS: This is a planned secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized trial in which women with FI underwent PTNS or sham. FIEs were collected using a mobile-app diary at baseline and after 12 weekly sessions. FI-symptom-validated measures included St. Mark's, Accidental Bowel Leakage Evaluation, FI Severity Index (FISI), Colorectal Anal Distress Inventory, Colorectal Anal Impact Questionnaire, FI Quality of Life, Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I), and Patient Global Symptom Control (PGSC) rating. Spearman's correlation coefficient (ρ) was computed between %-reduction in FIEs/week and change in questionnaire scores from baseline to 12 weeks. Significance was set at 0.005 to account for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics of 163 women (109 PTNS, 54 sham) include mean age 63.4±11.6, 81% white, body mass index 29.4±6.6 kg/m2, 4% previous FI surgeries, 6.6±5.5 FIEs/week, and St. Mark's score 17.4±2.6. A significant correlation was demonstrated between %-reduction in FIEs/week and all questionnaires (p<0.005). A moderate-strength correlation (|ρ|>0.4) was observed for St. Mark's (ρ=0.48), FISI (ρ=0.46), PGI-I (ρ=0.51), and PGSC (ρ=-0.43). CONCLUSIONS: In women with FI randomized to PTNS versus sham, a moderate correlation was noted between FIEs measured via mobile-app diary and FI-symptom-validated questionnaire scores.

A randomized double-blind trial of clonidine and colesevelam for women with fecal incontinence.

BACKGROUND: Diarrhea and rectal urgency are risk factors for fecal incontinence (FI). The effectiveness of bowel modifiers for improving FI is unclear. METHODS: In this double-blind, parallel-group, randomized trial, women with urge FI were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to a combination of oral clonidine (0.1 mg twice daily) with colesevelam (1875 mg twice daily) or two inert tablets for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was a ≥50% decrease in number of weekly FI episodes. KEY RESULTS: Fifty-six participants were randomly assigned to clonidine-colesevelam (n = 24) or placebo (n = 32); 51 (91%) completed 4 weeks of treatment. At baseline, participants had a mean (SD) of 7.5 (8.2) FI episodes weekly. The primary outcome was met for 13 of 24 participants (54%) treated with clonidine-colesevelam versus 17 of 32 (53%) treated with placebo (p = 0.85). The Bristol stool form score decreased significantly, reflecting more formed stools with clonidine-colesevelam treatment (mean [SD], 4.5 [1.5] to 3.2 [1.5]; p = 0.02) but not with placebo (4.2 [1.9] to 4.1 [1.9]; p = 0.47). The proportion of FI episodes for semiformed stools decreased significantly from a mean (SD) of 76% (8%) to 61% (10%) in the clonidine-colesevelam group (p = 0.007) but not the placebo group (61% [8%] to 67% [8%]; p = 0.76). However, these treatment effects did not differ significantly between groups. Overall, clonidine-colesevelam was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES: Compared with placebo, clonidine-colesevelam did not significantly improve FI despite being associated with more formed stools and fewer FI episodes for semiformed stools.

Does Length of Extended Resection Beyond Transition Zone Change Clinical Outcome for Hirschsprung Pull-Through?

INTRODUCTION: A proximal resection margin greater than 5 cm from the intra-operative histologically determined transition zone has been deemed necessary to minimize the risk of transition zone pull-through. This extended resection may require the sacrifice of vascular supply and even further bowel resection. The impact of extended proximal resection margin on post-operative complications and functional outcomes is unclear. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent primary pull-through for Hirschsprung disease at a single institution between January 2008 and December 2022 was performed. An adequate proximal margin was defined by a circumferential normally ganglionated ring and absence of hypertrophic nerves. The extended margin was defined as the total length of proximal colon with normal ganglion cells and without hypertrophic nerves. Fecal incontinence severity was assessed with the Pediatric Fecal Incontinence Severity Score (PFISS). RESULTS: Eighty seven patients met criteria for inclusion. Median age at primary pull-through was 17 days (IQR 10-92 days), 55% (n = 48) of patients had an extended proximal margin (EPM) ≤ 5 cm, and 45% (n = 39) had an EPM > 5 cm. An EPM ≤5 cm was not associated with increased rates of Hirschsprung associated enterocolitis (≤5 cm 43%, >5 cm 39%, P = 0.701), diversion post pull-through (≤5 cm 10%, >5 cm 5%, P = 0.367) or reoperation for transition zone pull-through (≤5 cm 3%, >5 cm 0%, P = 0.112). EPM ≤5 cm had more frequent involuntary daytime bowel movements (P = 0.041) and more frequent voluntary bowel movements (P = 0.035). There were no differences in other measures of fecal incontinence severity. CONCLUSIONS: Shorter proximal extended margins beyond the adequate ganglionated margin do not significantly impact post-operative complication rates and have an unclear effect on fecal incontinence. TYPE OF STUDY: Case Control. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Cutting seton for the treatment of cryptoglandular fistula-in-ano: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The use of cutting seton (CS) for the management of cryptoglandular fistula-in-ano has remained controversial because of reports of fecal incontinence, postoperative pain, and extended healing time. The aim of this review was to provide the first synthesis of studies investigating the use of CS for the treatment of cryptoglandular fistula-in-ano. METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL were searched up to October 2022. Randomized controlled trials and observational studies comparing CS with alternative interventions were included, along with single-arm studies evaluating CS alone. The primary outcome was fistula-in-ano recurrence, and secondary outcomes included incontinence, healing time, proportion with complete healing, and postoperative pain. Inverse variance random-effects meta-analyses were used to pool effect estimates. RESULTS: After screening 661 citations, 29 studies were included. Overall, 1513 patients undergoing CS (18.8% female, mean age: 43.1 years) were included. Patients with CS had a 6% (95% CI: 3-12%) risk of recurrence and a 16% (95% CI: 5-38%) risk of incontinence at 6 months. CS patients had an average healing time of 14.6 weeks (95% CI: 10-19 weeks) with 73% (95% CI: 48-89%) of patients achieving complete healing at 6 months postoperatively. There was no difference in recurrence between CS and fistulotomy, advancement flap, two-stage seton fistulotomy, or draining seton. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this analysis shows that CS has comparable recurrence and incontinence rates to other modalities. However, this may be at the expense of more postoperative pain and extended healing time. Further comparative studies between CS and other modalities are warranted.

Fecal incontinence was associated with depression of any severity: insights from a large cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Current studies on the association between fecal incontinence (FI) and depression are very limited, and most of them are restricted to women or elderly patients. This study aims to evaluate in detail the association between FI and depression among US adults. METHODS: 13,480 adults aged 20 years and older were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2010. Monthly loss of solid, liquid, or mucous stool was defined as FI. Clinical depression and depression severity were assessed by the validated Patient Health Questionnaide-9 (PHQ-9). Models of multivariate logistic regression were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (ORs). A subgroup analysis was carried out to ensure that the results were stable. RESULTS: After adjusting for covariates such as demographics, risk behaviors and associated comorbidities, the PHQ-9 score and clinical depression were both significantly associated with FI, with ORs and 95%CIs of 1.11 (1.10-1.13) and 3.01 (2.53-3.57). Depression of all severities was also significantly associated with FI. The ORs and 95%CIs of FI with mild depression, moderate depression, and moderately severe to severe depression were 2.29 (1.96-2.68), 3.44 (2.77-4.27) and 4.65 (3.61-6.00), respectively. Subgroup analyses showed no statistically significant interactions (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, FI significantly associated with depression of any severity. Like the elderly or female patients with FI, young and middle-aged or men with FI are also at high risk of depression and should also be the focus of depression screening and early intervention.

Age-Specific Probability of 4 Major Health Outcomes in Children with Spina Bifida.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate the age-specific probability of 4 health outcomes in a large registry of individuals with spina bifida (SB). METHODS: The association between age and 4 health outcomes was examined in individuals with myelomeningocele (MMC, n = 5627) and non-myelomeningocele (NMMC, n = 1442) from the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry. Sixteen age categories were created, 1 for each year between the ages of 5 and 19 years and 1 for those aged 20 years or older. Generalized linear models were used to calculate the adjusted probability and 95% prediction intervals of each outcome for each age category, adjusting for sex and race/ethnicity. RESULTS: For the MMC and NMMC groups, the adjusted coefficients for the correlation between age and the probability of each outcome were -0.933 and -0.657 for bladder incontinence, -0.922 and -0.773 for bowel incontinence, 0.942 and 0.382 for skin breakdown, and 0.809 and 0.619 for lack of ambulation, respectively. CONCLUSION: In individuals with SB, age is inversely associated with the probability of bladder and bowel incontinence and directly associated with the probability of skin breakdown and lack of ambulation. The estimated age-specific probabilities of each outcome can help SB clinicians estimate the expected proportion of patients with the outcome at specific ages and explain the probability of the occurrence of these outcomes to patients and their families.

Pelvic floor dysfunction: prevalence and associated factors.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic floor dysfunction in women encompasses a wide range of clinical disorders: urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, fecal incontinence, and pelvic-perineal region pain syndrome. A literature review did not identify any articles addressing the prevalence of all pelvic floor dysfunctions. OBJECTIVE: Determine the prevalence of the group of pelvic floor disorders and the factors associated with the development of these disorders in women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This observational study was conducted with women during 2021 and 2022 in Spain. Sociodemographic and employment data, previous medical history and health status, lifestyle and habits, obstetric history, and health problems were collected through a self-developed questionnaire. The Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) was used to assess the presence and impact of pelvic floor disorders. Pearson's Chi-Square, Odds Ratio (OR) and adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. RESULTS: One thousand four hundred forty-six women participated. Urinary incontinence occurred in 55.8% (807) of the women, fecal incontinence in 10.4% (150), symptomatic uterine prolapse in 14.0% (203), and 18.7% (271) reported pain in the pelvic area. The following were identified as factors that increase the probability of urinary incontinence: menopausal status. For fecal incontinence: having had instrumental births. Factors for pelvic organ prolapse: number of vaginal births, one, two or more. Factors for pelvic pain: the existence of fetal macrosomia. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction in women is high. Various sociodemographic factors such as age, having a gastrointestinal disease, having had vaginal births, and instrumental vaginal births are associated with a greater probability of having pelvic floor dysfunction. Health personnel must take these factors into account to prevent the appearance of these dysfunctions.

Stercoral Ulcer Presenting in a Patient with Cauda Equina Syndrome Secondary to Postoperative Epidural Hematoma.

Chronic constipation can lead to fecal impaction in the large bowel, which can cause pressure necrosis followed by perforation, known as a stercoral ulcer. In extensive posterior thoracolumbar surgery, a long operation time, large blood loss, and perioperative narcotic use may aggravate constipation. Moreover, sacral root palsy due to cauda equina syndrome (CES) can lead to the deterioration of fecal impaction. This report describes the case of a 77-year-old woman with CES who presented with saddle anesthesia, neurogenic bladder, bowel incontinence, and paraplegia. Five days prior, she had undergone extended posterior lumbar interbody fusion from L1 to L5. Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an extended epidural hematoma. After urgent neural decompression, she gradually recovered from the saddle anesthesia, leg pain, and paraplegia over 3 weeks. Thereafter, the patient suddenly developed massive hematochezia and hemorrhagic shock. Urgent colonoscopy was performed, and a stercoral ulcer in the sigmoid colon was diagnosed. After 4 weeks of intensive care for hemorrhagic shock, pneumonia, and systemic sepsis, the patient was transferred to a general ward for intensive rehabilitation. One year after the operation, she was able to walk with assistance, and her urinary and bowel incontinence completely recovered. Chronic constipation, a common clinical problem, can sometimes cause relatively obscure but potentially life-threatening complications such as stercoral ulceration. Possible factors including advanced age, extensive spinal surgeries, prolonged operation time, significant blood loss, perioperative narcotic use, and the presence of spinal cord injury might contribute to the development of this condition. It highlights the importance of recognizing the potential development of stercoral ulcers in patients with CES and emphasizes the need for prompt diagnosis and management to avert catastrophic complications.

Anal incontinence following obstetric anal sphincter injury: Is there a difference between subtypes? A systematic review.

AIMS: Obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI) is associated with long-term anal incontinence (AI). We aimed to address the following questions: (a) are women with major OASI (grade 3c and 4) at higher risk of developing AI when compared to women with minor OASI (grade 3a and 3b)? (b) is a fourth-degree tear more likely to cause AI over a third-degree tear? METHODS: A systematic literature search from inception until September 2022. We considered prospective and retrospective cohort studies, cross-sectional and case-control studies without language restrictions. The quality was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist. Risk ratios (RRs) were calculated to measure the effect of different grades of OASI. RESULTS: Out of 22 studies, 8 were prospective cohort, 8 were retrospective cohort, and 6 were cross-sectional studies. Length of follow-up ranged from 1 month to 23 years, with the majority of the reports (n = 16) analysing data within 12-months postpartum. Third-degree tears evaluated were 6454 versus 764 fourth-degree tears. The risk of bias was low in 3, medium in 14 and high in 5 studies, respectively. Prospective studies showed that major tears are associated with a twofold risk of AI for major tears versus minor tears, while retrospective studies consistently showed a risk of fecal incontinence (FI) which was two- to fourfold higher. Prospective studies showed a trend toward worsening AI symptoms for fourth-degree tears, but this failed to reach statistical significance. Cross-sectional studies with long-term (≥5 years) follow-up showed that women with fourth-degree tear were more likely to develop AI, with an RR ranging from 1.4 to 2.2. Out of 3, 2 retrospective studies showed similar findings, but the follow-up was significantly shorter (≤1 year). Contrasting results were noted for FI rates, as only 5 out of 10 studies supported an association between fourth-degree tear and FI. CONCLUSIONS: Most studies investigate bowel symptoms within few months from delivery. Data heterogeneity hindered a meaningful synthesis. Prospective cohort studies with adequate power and long-term follow-up should be performed to evaluate the risk of AI for each OASI subtype.

The Clinical Impact of Obesity in Patients With Disorders of Defecation: A Cross-Sectional Study of 1,155 Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a global epidemic. Its clinical impact on symptoms of fecal incontinence (FI) and/or constipation and underlying anorectal pathophysiology remains uncertain. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of consecutive patients meeting Rome IV criteria for FI and/or functional constipation, with data on body mass index (BMI), attending a tertiary center for investigation between 2017 and 2021. Clinical history, symptoms, and anorectal physiologic test results were analyzed according to BMI categories. RESULTS: A total of 1,155 patients (84% female) were included in the analysis (33.5% normal BMI; 34.8% overweight; and 31.7% obese). Obese patients had higher odds of FI to liquid stools (69.9 vs 47.8%, odds ratio [OR] 1.96 [confidence interval: 1.43-2.70]), use of containment products (54.6% vs 32.6%, OR 1.81 [1.31-2.51]), fecal urgency (74.6% vs 60.7%, OR 1.54 [1.11-2.14]), urge FI (63.4% vs 47.3%, OR 1.68 [1.23-2.29]), and vaginal digitation (18.0% vs 9.7%, OR 2.18 [1.26-3.86]). A higher proportion of obese patients had Rome criteria-based FI or coexistent FI and functional constipation (37.3%, 50.3%) compared with overweight patients (33.8%, 44.8%) and patients with normal BMI (28.9%, 41.1%). There was a positive linear association between BMI and anal resting pressure (ß 0.45, R 2 0.25, P = 0.0003), although the odds of anal hypertension were not significantly higher after Benjamini-Hochberg correction. Obese patients more often had a large clinically significant rectocele (34.4% vs 20.6%, OR 2.62 [1.51-4.55]) compared with patients with normal BMI. DISCUSSION: Obesity affects specific defecatory (mainly FI) and prolapse symptoms and pathophysiologic findings (higher anal resting pressure and significant rectocele). Prospective studies are required to determine whether obesity is a modifiable risk factor of FI and constipation.

Surgical treatment trends and outcomes for anal fistula: fistulotomy is still accurate and safe. Results from a nationwide observational study.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to analyse current surgical treatment preferences for anal fistula (AF) and its subtypes and nationwide results in terms of success and complications. METHODS: A retrospective multicentre observational cohort study was conducted. The study period was 1 year (2019), with a follow-up period of at least 1 year. A descriptive analysis of patient characteristics and trends regarding technical options was performed. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used to analyse factors associated with healing and faecal incontinence (FI). RESULTS: Fifty-one hospitals were involved, providing data on 1628 patients with AF. At a median follow-up of 18.3 (9.9-28.3) months, 1231 (75.9%) patients achieved healing, while 390 (24.1%) did not; failure was catalogued as persistence in 279 (17.2.0%) patients and as recurrence in 111 (6.8%). On multivariate analysis, factors associated with healing were fistulotomy (OR 5.5; 95% CI 3.8-7.9; p < 0.001), simple fistula (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.5-2.8; p < 0.001), single tract (HR 1.9; 95% CI 1.3-2.8; p < 0.001) and number of preparatory surgeries (none vs. 3; HR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2-2.8; p = 0.006). Regarding de novo FI, in the multivariate analysis previous anal surgery (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.4, p = 0.037), age (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.04, p = 0.002) and being female (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.5, p = 0.008) were statistically related. CONCLUSIONS: Anal fistulotomy is the most used procedure for AF, especially for simple AF, with a favourable overall balance between healing and continence impairment. Sphincter-sparing or minimally invasive sphincter-sparing techniques resulted in lower rates of healing. In spite of their intended sphincter-sparing design, a certain degree of FI was observed for several of these techniques.

Bacterial species distribution on the genital skin of hospitalized patients with stroke manifesting incontinence-associated dermatitis: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: To compare the isolated and identified bacterial species colonizing on the genital skin between patients with and without incontinence-associated dermatitis. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 102 patients with stroke admitted to an acute hospital in Japan. Swabs were collected, and bacterial species found in swabs were isolated and identified using a selective agar medium and simple identification kits. In addition to demographic information, severity of incontinence-associated dermatitis and the total bacterial counts were measured. RESULTS: Incontinence-associated dermatitis was present in 53.9% of the participants. Staphylococcus aureus was found in 50% of the participants with incontinence-associated dermatitis and only 17.9% of those without incontinence-associated dermatitis (P = 0.0029). Bacterial species distribution by erythema and skin erosion, which denote severity of incontinence-associated dermatitis, was different, but not significant; additionally, the total number of bacterial colonies was equivalent. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial species distribution differed between patients with and without incontinence-associated dermatitis, whereas the total number of bacterial colonies was equivalent. A high detection rate of S. aureus on genital skin sites potentially affects the presence of incontinence-associated dermatitis and its severity. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 537-542.