Is the rectum usually empty?--A quantitative study in subjects with and without diarrhea

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Colorectal Research
• Clinical Investigation

Background:

• The presence of feces in the rectum is a key indicator of bowel function.
• Understanding rectal fecal content frequency aids in diagnosing and managing various gastrointestinal conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the frequency of fecal presence in the rectum across different subject groups.
• To investigate the relationship between rectal fecal content and conditions like obesity, irritable bowel syndrome, and ulcerative proctocolitis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized dialysis bags placed in the unprepared rectum for one hour to detect fecal contamination.
• Recorded the presence or absence of fecal matter in normal controls, obese subjects, and patients with irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative proctocolitis, and other diarrheal diseases.
• Analyzed data for statistical significance compared to control groups.

Main Results:

• Feces were present in 31% of normal controls.
• Obese subjects showed a higher frequency (49%) of rectal feces (P<0.05).
• Patients with other diarrheal diseases (67%) and steatorrhea (87%) had significantly more fecal matter in the rectum (P<0.02).

Conclusions:

• The rectum is generally empty in subjects without diarrhea.
• Diarrhea and steatorrhea are strongly associated with the presence of fecal material in the rectum, even without distal inflammation.
• Findings support the clinical observation that rectal examination can provide insights into bowel status.