The Adaptive Behaviors in Women with Bowel Incontinence (ABBI) study was a multi-center observational study conducted at 7 centers within the Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. The goals of this protocol are to describe the use of adaptive behaviors among women presenting with fecal incontinence as the subject’s primary complaint and to validate the PFDN Adaptation Index as a measure of such behaviors in women with fecal continence or FI. FI is defined as the loss of liquid, solid stool, or mucous on at least one occasion per month. Women with at least monthly FI (solid or liquid stool) were screened to evaluate adaptive behaviors before and after treatment (per usual care) for FI. A diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was characterized by the Rome III clinical criteria (abdominal pain or discomfort ≥ 2 days/month). Baseline medical history, urinary incontinence, prior treatments for FI, and stool consistency using the Bristol stool scale were completed along with self-administered questionnaires including: Modified Manchester Health Questionnaire (MMHQ) including the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI) and fecal urgency assessment, the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory subscales and the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire subscales.
STUDY RESULTS:
Barber MD, Chen Z, Lukacz E, Markland A, Wai C, Brubaker L, Nygaard I, Weidner A, Janz NK, Spino C. Further validation of the short form versions of the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI) and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ). Neurourology and urodynamics. 2011 Apr; 30(4): 541-6.
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Barber MD, Spino C, Janz NK, Brubaker L, Nygaard I, Nager CW, Wheeler TL, Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. The minimum important differences for the urinary scales of the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. 2009 May; 200(5): 580.e1-7.
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Markland AD, Jelovsek JE, Rahn DD, Wang L, Merrin L, Tuteja A, Richter HE, Meikle S, Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Quality of Life in Women With Fecal Incontinence. Female pelvic medicine & reconstructive surgery. 2017 May/Jun; 23(3): 179-183.
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Read more about this study at clinicaltrials.gov.