A simple bowel habit score for colorectal patients

Area of Science:

• Colorectal disease management
• Gastroenterology
• Proctology

Background:

• Assessing bowel habits is crucial for managing colorectal disease.
• Existing bowel habit scoring systems are often impractical, complex, and time-consuming.
• There is a need for a simple, universally applicable scoring system for proctological disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a simple, quick bowel habit scoring system for all patients with proctological disorders.
• To overcome the limitations of current complex and disease-specific scoring methods.

Main Methods:

• A novel scoring system was developed, incorporating bowel frequency, stool consistency, and urgency.
• A three-point scale was utilized, categorizing bowel habits into 'slow' (3-4 points), 'normal' (5-6 points), and 'quick' (7-9 points).
• The score was applied to patients attending a colorectal outpatient clinic between January 2014 and December 2015.

Main Results:

• The study included 890 patients, with 92% completing the score, which took a mean of 28 seconds.
• The majority of patients presented with 'normal' (63.6%) bowel habits, followed by 'slow' (29.3%) and 'quick' (7.1%).
• Patients with constipation or anal fissure showed a higher incidence of 'slow' habits, while those with incontinence or inflammatory bowel disease exhibited a higher incidence of 'quick' habits.

Conclusions:

• The developed bowel habit score is easy, quick, and highly feasible for clinical use.
• This practical tool can significantly aid in the management of patients with various colorectal disorders.
• The score facilitates efficient assessment and classification of bowel function across diverse proctological conditions.