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Test-retest repeatability of anorectal physiology tests in healthy volunteers

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Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to evaluate repeatability of tests of anorectal function in 58 healthy female volunteers, mean age 50 (range, 45–57) years. METHODS: Participants were studied on two separate occasions by one investigator in one laboratory using the same equipment. RESULTS: Mean difference for perineal position was 0.1 (95 percent confidence interval, −0.1–0.3) cm, and for perineal descent it was 0.02 (−0.2–0.3) cm. For anal mucosa electrosensitivity, mean difference was −0.1 (−0.4–0.1) mA, for maximum anal resting pressure it was 2.2 (−3.5–7.8) cm H 2 O, for maximum anal squeeze pressure it was −1 (−6.5–4.5) cm H 2 O, and for pudendal nerve terminal motor latency it was 0.04 (−0.02–0.09) msec. Coefficients of variation varied from 8 percent for pudendal nerve terminal motor latency to 49 percent for perineal descent. CONCLUSION: There was no systematic variation in repeated measurements for any of the parameters studied; however, the nonsystematic variation was generally large.

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Supported by a grant from the Danish Medical Research Council, Institute of Experimental Clinical Research, University of Aarhus, and the KE Jensen Foundation.

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Ryhammer, A.M., Laurberg, S. & Hermann, A.P. Test-retest repeatability of anorectal physiology tests in healthy volunteers. Dis Colon Rectum 40, 287–292 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02050417

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