[Incidence of psychiatric disorders in patients with fecal incontinence].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the presence of psychiatric alterations in patients with fecal incontinence.


METHODS
Eighty consecutive patients (67 women) with fecal incontinence were evaluated. All the patients completed the the specific GHQ-28 questionnaire to evaluate psychiatric symptoms. The questionnaire had previously been validated in the Spanish language. A score equal to or higher than 6 points was considered to indicate pathology. Incontinence was evaluated by the Cleveland Clinic Florida-Fecal Incontinence severity score (range 0 - 20). Psychiatric antecedents prior to fecal incontinence were recorded.


RESULTS
Thirty-two patients (40%) had pathological scores on the GHQ-28 questionnaire (mean 13.59, range: 7-26). The mean Cleveland score was 11.52 (range: 2-20). Patients with pathological GHQ-28 scores had higher fecal incontinence scores (14.28 vs 9.68; p < 0.0001). A significant lineal correlation was found between GHQ-28 scores and the severity of fecal incontinence (p < 0.0001). Psychiatric antecedents were found in 17 patients (21.3%). In these patients no correlation was found between GHQ-28 score and the severity of incontinence. In the subgroup of patients without psychiatric antecedents this correlation was maintained (p < 0.003). Of these, 20 (31.7%) had pathologic scores on the GHQ-28, and the mean incontinence severity score was significantly higher than that of those with a normal GHQ-28 score (13.15 vs. 9.25; p < 0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of psychiatric alterations is high in patients with fecal incontinence and is correlated with its severity. Patients with psychiatric antecedents can bias evaluation of the association between psychiatric alterations and the severity of fecal incontinence.
de Miguel
Mario
M
Servicio de Cirugía General, Hospital Virgen del Camino, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain. mario.demiguel@cfnavarra.es
Oteiza
Fabiola
F
Armendáriz
Pedro
P
Ciga
Miguel A
MA
Marzo
José
J
Ortiz
Héctor
H
Peralta
Víctor
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged