Improvements in Self-Reported Depression Following Treatment of Fecal Incontinence with Sacral Neuromodulation

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Gastroenterology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Fecal incontinence (FI) significantly impacts quality of life.
• Depression is a common comorbidity in patients with FI.
• Sacral neuromodulation is a treatment option for refractory FI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate changes in self-reported depression after sacral neuromodulation for fecal incontinence.
• To identify patient subgroups that may benefit most from this intervention.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort subanalysis of 24 patients treated with sacral neuromodulation for FI.
• Extracted demographic, medical, and psychiatric data, including Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) t-scores.
• Utilized paired t-tests to compare pre- and post-treatment depression scores (p < 0.05 considered significant).

Main Results:

• Sacral neuromodulation led to a statistically significant decrease in mean depression t-scores (-4.5, p = 0.04).
• No significant changes were observed in self-reported pain interference or physical function.
• Patients with comorbid anxiety showed the greatest improvement in depression scores (-6.5, p = 0.02).

Conclusions:

• Sacral neuromodulation is associated with improved self-reported depression in patients with fecal incontinence.
• Patients with co-occurring anxiety may experience enhanced benefits regarding depression.
• Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings.