| Fecal incontinence: part 4 of a series of articles on incontinence. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 20838452 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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BACKGROUND: The aging of the population will make fecal incontinence an increasingly important socioeconomic problem in the coming decades. Already today, the cost to society of treating incontinence with inserts, diapers, and closed systems exceeds the total cost of all cardiac and anti-inflammatory medications. METHODS: This article is based on a selective review of the literature and on clinical experience. No meta-analyses on this topic have yet been published. RESULTS: Surveys in highly industrialized countries in the Western Hemisphere have shown that about 5% of the population suffers from fecal incontinence of varying degrees of severity. This condition will become more common, in both relative and absolute terms, in the coming decades. Various methods of care and therapy are currently available for fecal incontinence, yet many patients do not seek medical help for it because of embarrassment. Thus, its true prevalence is certainly higher than the surveys imply. CONCLUSION: The challenge today, therefore, is not just to encourage patients to seek medical help early, but also to raise physicians' awareness of fecal incontinence and their readiness to treat it, so that they can provide competent individual counseling and treatment to all patients who suffer from it. |
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Authors:
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Michael Probst; Helen Pages; Jürgen F Riemann; Axel Eickhoff; Franz Raulf; Gerd Kolbert |
Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Review Date: 2010-08-20 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Deutsches Ärzteblatt international Volume: 107 ISSN: 1866-0452 ISO Abbreviation: Dtsch Arztebl Int Publication Date: 2010 Aug |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2010-09-14 Completed Date: 2011-01-25 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 101475967 Medline TA: Dtsch Arztebl Int Country: Germany |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 596-601 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Klinikum Ludwigshafen, Institut für Physikalische und Rehabilitative Medizin, Germany. probst-dr.michael@web.de |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Diagnostic Imaging
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methods* Fecal Incontinence / diagnosis*, therapy* Humans |
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