Fecal Incontinence: Prevalence, Severity, and Quality of Life Data from an Outpatient Gastroenterology Practice

Table 2

Stool consistency, medication use, severity, and quality of life scores.

Consistency	Medications at the time of visit	Severity score	Quality of life score
Loose/watery —23^a	None —11 (48%)	29.5	2.26 (1.17–3.92)
	Laxative —6 (26%)
	Antidiarrheal —7 (30%)
Formed —17	None —9 (53%)	23.8	23.8 (1.33–3.88)
	Laxative —6 (35%)
	Anti-diarrheal —2 (12%)
Hard —6^a	None —1 (17%)	29.7	29.7 (1.48–3.96)
	Laxative —5 (83%)
	Anti-diarrheal —1 (17%)
Alternating —12	None —4 (33%)	29.8	29.8 (1.34–4.07)
	Laxative — 5 (42%)
	Anti-diarrheal —3 (25%)

^aOne person took both laxatives and antidiarrheals.
^bSignificant difference between quality of life (QOL) in loose/watery stool consistency versus all other groups combined, 𝑃=0.006, and separately (versus formed, 𝑃=0.005, versus alternating, 𝑃=0.05). No significant difference versus hard stool, 𝑃=0.06.