title: Effect of anticholinergics on the overactive bladder and bowel domain of the electronic personal assessment questionnaire (ePAQ).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evidence suggests that OAB (overactive bladder) can occur alongside disorders of the colon, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Moreover, patients with constipation are more likely to develop OAB symptoms than those without. Anticholinergic medications (AcH) are commonly used for treating OAB, and can result in the unwanted side effects of constipation. We aimed to study the relationship of AcH, and their effects on quality of life using the electronic Personal Assessment Questionnaire (ePAQ) by assessing changes in the bowel and bladder domains, pre- and post-AcH treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety patients completed the ePAQ pre- and post-AcH treatment from January 2011 to April 2014. Data were collected retrospectively and prospectively, and analysed using a paired t test. Effect size (ES) was calculated for OAB and bowel domains to quantify the effect on QoL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant improvement in the OAB (p = 0.0005) and bowel domains (p = 0.0005). In the bowel domains, the largest effect size was seen for IBS (0.5) followed by continence (0.4), evacuation (0.375) and a small ES was seen for constipation (0.2). There was a reduction in the "degree of bother" in OAB and bowel domains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients may benefit from the possible effects of AcH on their bowels, and assessment of all aspects of pelvic floor function is important before commencing AcH. This may help to counsel patients, with possibly improved compliance with therapy.
authors.affiliation: Birmingham Women's NHS Foundation Trust, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, B15 2TG, Birmingham, UK, drsupriya73@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bulchandani
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toozs-Hobson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McCooty
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Latthe
mesh_terms: D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003248:Constipation / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists