A prospective study evaluating emotional disturbance in subjects undergoing defecating proctography

AIM: To investigate the prevalence of psychiatric illness in association with functional gastrointestinal disorders using defecating proctography (DP) and validated questionnaires. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 45 subjects referred for DP using hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), state trait anxiety inventory (STAI), patient health questionnaire 15-item somatic symptom severity scale (PHQ-15), validated questionnaires for sexual or physical abuse; post-traumatic stress disorder questionnaire (PTSD) and ROME-Ⅲ questionnaires for gastrointestinal complaints. DP results were considered negative if levator ani function was normal, rectoceles (if any) were < 4 cm and there was no evidence ofintussusception, rectal prolapse, or other anatomic abnormality demonstrated. Subjects were subsequently divided into those with structural defects seen on DP (DP positive group) and those with a normal defecography study (DP negative group). RESULTS: Forty five subjects were included in the study of which 20 subjects were classified as DP negative (44.4%). There was a striking prevalence of a history of sexual abuse in DP negative group compared to the DP positive group (n = 9, 5 respectively; P = 0.036). Further, subjects in the DP negative group scored significantly higher on the HADS anxiety (6.60 ± 1.00 vs 4.72 ± 0.40, P = 0.04) and depression scales (5.72 ± 1.00 vs 3.25 ± 0.46, P = 0.01). This correlated well with significantly higher scores on the STAI state anxiety scale (42.75 ± 3.16vs 35.6 ± 2.00,P = 0.027), PHQ-15 questionnaire (13.15 ± 0.82 vs 10.76 ± 0.97, P = 0.038) and prevalence of PTSD (20%vs 4%,P = 0.045) among DP negative subjects. There was no difference between the groups in terms of STAI trait anxiety. CONCLUSION: The findings of this prospective study demonstrate a significantly high degree of psychiatric ailments in patients with negative findings on DP who should be appropriately screened for a history of sexual abuse and symptoms of psychosocial distress.

Is the transperineal ultrasonography approach effective for the diagnosis of rectocele?

Background Transperineal ultrasonography has been used as a diagnostic imaging modality for rectocele for many years.However,the consistency of ultrasonography and defecography in evaluating the severity of rectocele was not satisfactory.This study aimed to evaluate the agreement in the measurement of rectocele parameters between the two methods in different positions and provide clinical implications for the diagnosis of rectocele.Methods In this pilot study,participants were recruited in an outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital between December 2017 and December 2019.All participants separately underwent defecation proctography at sitting and squatting positions,and undertook transperineal ultrasonography at left lateral,sitting,and squatting positions.The consistency of ultrasonography and defecography was evaluated.Results Thirty female volunteers with rectocele were included in this study.The degree of anorectal angle was significantly larger at rest and during contraction,maximal Valsalva,and evacuation;the depth of the rectocele was significantly deeper during maximal Valsalva and evacuation;and the length of the perineumdescending was significantly longer during contraction and maximal Valsalva in using squatting position compared to the sitting position when performing the defecation proctography.The degree of anorectal angle,the depth of rectocele,the area of levator hiatus,and the volume of the rectocele were significantly different in using squatting,sitting,and left lateral positions when performing the transperineal ultrasonography.Bland-Altman semi-quantitative plots showed good consistency in the measurement of the anorectal angle and the depth of the rectocele between proctography and ultrasonography in both sitting and squatting positions.Conclusions The findings of our study may be considered as the preliminary evidence to support the use of transperineal ultrasonography with sitting and squatting positions as the imaging test of choice for evaluating patients with rectocele.