Abstract Background Fecal incontinence (FI) and defecation urgency are common problems in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) (Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis) and negatively impact their quality of life due to the unpredictable nature of the disease. This study aimed to compare whether a self-report questionnaire or face-to-face clinician interviews were more effective in determining FI and defecation urgency in IBD patients. Methods This prospective study included 64 patients with CD and 64 patients with UC. Patients’ fecal incontinence severity was assessed using the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI), and quality of life was assessed using the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (FEQLS). These assessments were conducted through self-report in 64 of the 128 patients and through face-to-face interviews in 64 patients. Results • A moderately positive and statistically significant correlation was found between the FISI score and both UC and CD activity (r = 0.605, p 0.001 and r = 0.444, p 0.001). • The mean FISI score of the self-reported patients (15.8±10.1) was higher than the mean FISI score of the face-to-face survey patients (12.8±10.2), but no statistically significant difference was found between them (p = 0.093). • A moderately significant negative correlation was found between the disease activity index and the FIQOL score (r = -0.533, p 0.001 for UC and r = -0.457, p 0.001 for CD). • The mean FIQOL score of patients who self-reported was 73.5±25.9, while the mean FIQOL score of patients who received a face-to-face survey was 86.9±27.8, and a statistically significant difference was found between them (p = 0.006). • FISI and FIQOL scores were not different in CD and UC. There was also no difference in gender, but there was an inverse relationship between the number of births and pregnancies among women and only the FIQOL score. Conclusion The conclusion emphasizes that FI and urgency are clinically important symptoms that require treatment and monitoring in patients with IBD, and that self-report questionnaires should be used as routine screening tools in addition to clinician questioning. Conflict of interest: Prof. Dr. Altintas, Engin: No conflict of interest Yilmaz Gur, Melis: No conflict of interest
Altintas et al. (Thu,) studied this question.