1. Prevalence and predictors of bowel dysfunction in a large multiple sclerosis outpatient population: an Italian multicenter study
- Author
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Sinisi Leonardo, Cortese Antonio, Mataluni Giorgia, Baione Viola, Sibilia Grazia, Antonio Gallo, Mirabella Massimiliano, Stabile Giovanni, Bisecco Alvino, d'Amico Emanuele, Carolina Gabri Nicoletti, Scarano Valentina, Docimo Renato, Fornasiero Arianna, Patti Francesco, Sebastiano Giuseppe Crisafulli, Orlando Davide, Tedeschi Gioacchino, Bianco Assunta, Zanghì Aurora, Spitaleri Daniele, Alessandra Girolama Marfia, Salvetti Marco, Maria Chiara Buscarinu, Bisecco, Alvino, Arianna, F., Assunta, B., Antonio, C., Emanuele, A., Giorgia, M., Leonardo, S., Daniele, S., Renato, D., Buscarinu, M. C., Massimiliano, M., Crisafulli, S. G., Aurora, Z., Gabri Nicoletti, C., Marco, S., Viola, B., Francesco, P., Marfia, A. G., Grazia, S., Valentina, S., Davide, O., Giovanni, S., Gioacchino, T., and Gallo, A.
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Neurology ,Multiple Sclerosis ,bowel ,gut dysfunction ,multicenter study ,multiple sclerosis ,symptoms ,Gastrointestinal Diseases ,Gastrointestinal Disease ,Symptom ,Population ,Logistic regression ,Neurogenic Bowel ,Internal medicine ,Outpatients ,medicine ,Prevalence ,Humans ,Multiple sclerosi ,Disabled Persons ,education ,Neuroradiology ,education.field_of_study ,Expanded Disability Status Scale ,business.industry ,Multiple sclerosis ,Outpatient ,medicine.disease ,Bowel dysfunction ,Settore MED/26 - NEUROLOGIA ,Disabled Person ,Female ,Neurology (clinical) ,business ,Human - Abstract
Introduction Bowel dysfunction (BD) is reported as a common and disabling symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. To date, no studies have explored the prevalence of these symptoms in a large multicenter outpatient setting. The aims of the present study are to assess: (i) the prevalence of BD in a large multicenter Italian MS population, and (ii) the correlation between clinico-demographic variables and the severity of BD. Methods Each of the nine participating center screened MS patients prospectively: 1100 subjects were enrolled. All patients underwent the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and completed the Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction score (NBDs). Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the association between NBDs and several clinico-demographic variables. Results Fourteen percent of MS patients showed a moderate/severe BD (NBDs > 10); this percentage increased in patients with high disability, ranging from 26 to 32%. Moderate/severe BD was more frequent in MS patients with: progressive phenotypes, higher disability, older age, and longer disease duration. NBDs severity was predicted by female sex, ambulation impairment and bladder symptoms. Conclusion This study confirms the relatively high prevalence of moderate/severe BD in a large, multicenter, unselected, outpatient MS population. BD appears to be mainly associated to female sex and MS-related disability.
- Published
- 2021