Kegel Exercises, Biofeedback, Electrostimulation, and Peripheral Neuromodulation Improve Clinical Symptoms of Fecal Incontinence and Affect Specific Physiological Targets

Fecal incontinence (FI) is a prevalent condition among community-dwelling women, and has a major impact on quality of life (QoL). Research on treatments commonly used in clinical practice-Kegel exercises, biofeedback, electrostimulation, and transcutaneous neuromodulation-give discordant results and...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Mundet, Lluís|||0000-0001-9091-8998, Rofes, Laia|||0000-0002-1628-5253, Ortega, Omar|||0000-0001-6178-3748, Cabib, Christopher|||0000-0002-1876-6923, Clavé i Civit, Pere|||0000-0002-0696-8560
Tipo de recurso: informe técnico
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:238797
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/238797
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.5056/jnm20013
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Biofeedback
Electric stimulation
Fecal incontinence
Pelvic floor disorders
Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation
Descripción
Sumario:Fecal incontinence (FI) is a prevalent condition among community-dwelling women, and has a major impact on quality of life (QoL). Research on treatments commonly used in clinical practice-Kegel exercises, biofeedback, electrostimulation, and transcutaneous neuromodulation-give discordant results and some lack methodological rigor, making scientific evidence weak. The aim is to assess the clinical efficacy of these 4 treatments on community-dwelling women with FI and their impact on severity, QoL and anorectal physiology. A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 150 females with FI assessed with anorectal manometry and endoanal ultrasonography, and pudendal nerve terminal motor latency, anal/rectal sensory-evoked-potentials, clinical severity, and QoL were determined. Patients were randomly assigned to one of the following groups Kegel (control), biofeedback + Kegel, electrostimulation + Kegel, and neuromodulation + Kegel, treated for 3 months and re-evaluated, then followed up after 6 months. Mean age was 61.09 ± 12.17. Severity of FI and QoL was significantly improved in a similar way after all treatments. The effect on physiology was treatment-specific Kegel and electrostimulation + Kegel, increased resting pressure (P < 0.05). Squeeze pressures strongly augmented with biofeedback + Kegel, electrostimulation + Kegel and neuromodulation + Kegel (P < 0.01). Endurance of squeeze increased in biofeedback + Kegel and electrostimulation + Kegel (P < 0.01). Rectal perception threshold was reduced in the biofeedback + Kegel, electrostimulation + Kegel, and neuromodulation + Kegel (P < 0.05); anal sensory-evoked-potentials latency shortened in patients with electrostimulation + Kegel (P < 0.05). The treatments for FI assessed have a strong and similar efficacy on severity and QoL but affect specific pathophysiological mechanisms. This therapeutic specificity can help to develop more efficient multimodal algorithm treatments for FI based on pathophysiological phenotypes.