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- Title
New method for the determination of fecal consistency and its optimal value in the general population.
- Authors
NAKAJI, SHIGEYUKI; FUKUDA, SHINSAKU; IWANE, SATORU; MURAKAMI, HIDEKI; TAMURA, KEN; MUNAKATA, AKIHIRO; SUGAWARA, KAZUO
- Abstract
Abstract Background : Although fecal consistency is an important factor, there has been only one study measuring this parameter. We developed a new method to measure fecal consistency and studied the relationship between fecal consistency and other fecal factors, including water content and weight. Methods : The new method is a modification of the method of Exton-Smith and used an even balance. Subjects in the initial trial were 26 healthy women. Subsequently, fecal consistency was measured in a representative sample of the general Japanese population, in order to evaluate the optimal value to maintain large bowel function. Results : Correlations between fecal consistency and fecal water content and weight were statistically consistent, although not highly correlated with each other. The optimal mean value was around 300 cm2 : ‘normal’ in ‘subjective defecatory state’, 295.5 cm 2 and 305.2 cm 2 ; ‘once/day’ in ‘defecation frequency’, 296.1 cm 2 and 310.2 cm 2 ; ‘soft and plump’ in ‘fecal characteristics’, 293.6 cm 2 and 298.3 cm 2 , in males and females, respectively. The coefficient of variation of this method ranged from 5.2% to 6.3%. Conclusions : This method is thought to be applicable to large-scale epidemiological surveys. The optimal value of fecal consistency in the general population was evaluated at approximately 300 g/cm2 . © 2002 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.
- Subjects
FECES; LARGE intestine
- Publication
Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2002, Vol 17, Issue 12, p1278
- ISSN
0815-9319
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1046/j.1440-1746.2002.t01-1-02899.x