[The effects of biofeedback training on clinical symptoms, psychological status and quality of life in patients with functional constipation].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effects of biofeedback training on clinical symptom, psychological state and quality of life in patients with functional constipation (FC).


METHODS
Forty-nine patients with FC diagnosed by Rome III were enrolled and received biofeedback training. Bowel symptom measure, Zung's self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS) and Chinese version of the MOS 36-item short form healthy survey (SF-36) were recorded to assess the effects before and after treatment.


RESULTS
After biofeedback training, clinical symptom of patients with FC was greatly improved: there was a very significant decrease in total and subscales scores of bowel symptom including spontaneous frequency of bowel movements, straining effort, sensation of anorectal obstruction/blockage, stool consistency and bloating. Patients with FC also improved their quality of life as well as psychological status after biofeedback. All subcategories of SF-36 including general health, physical function, bodily pain, role physical, vitality, social function, role emotion and mental health showed marked increase. Compared to the scores before biofeedback training, SAS (41.0±8.1 vs 46.5±11.9) and SDS (44.0±8.2 vs 51.2±11.5) scores decreased significantly after biofeedback training.


CONCLUSIONS
Biofeedback training can improve clinical symptom, psychological status and quality of life in patients with FC.
Zhu
Fen-fen
FF
Department of Nursing, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
Lin
Zheng
Z
Lin
Lin
L
Wang
Mei-feng
MF
Zhou
Li-rong
LR
D000328:Adult; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D003248:Constipation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome