title: Symptoms of anal incontinence and impact on sexual function.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether symptoms of anal incontinence (AI) have an impact on sexual function in a cohort of women with pelvic floor disorders and/or incontinence.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed a cohort of women presenting to an academic urogynecology practice. The control group consisted of those who answered "no" to questions 9-11 on the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory. The AI group consisted of those selecting "yes" to at least 1 of these questions. Student t test was used to compare differences between groups for the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The control group had a significantly lower mean score on the PISQ-12 than the AI group. There was no difference in PISQ-12 scores when controlling for stage of prolapse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptoms of AI were not associated with worse sexualfunction as measured by the PISQ-12.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urogynecology, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut, USA. mpatel@harthosp.org
authors.forename: Minita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: Adam C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Steinberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000150:complications