A New Technique for Measuring the Consistency of Faeces: A Report on Its Application to the Assessment of Senokot Therapy in the Elderly

Exton-Smtth, A. N.; Bendall, M. J.; Kent, F.

doi:10.1093/ageing/4.1.58

Cited by 22 publications

(17 citation statements)

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“…In our study, stool hardness was measured with a penetrometer, which has proved to be a reliable method for measuring stool hardness (Exton-Smith et al, 1975). We found no significant differences in stool hardness between the treatment periods.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

“…During the treatment periods, the first defecation of the day was collected on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of the second week. These samples were kept cold at þ 41C for 1-3 days and were moved to room temperature 2 hours before the measurement of stool hardness, which was measured with a penetrometer PNR 6 No18-000 (Sommer & Runge KG, Berlin, Germany) as described by Exton-Smith et al (1975) with some modifications. The total moving weight was 475 g and it was allowed to drop into the stool for 5 s. Four readings were taken at different points of the stool, and the stool hardness was defined as the mean of these measurements.…”

Section: Study Milksmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Removing lactose from milk does not delay bowel function or harden stool consistency in lactose-tolerant women

Seppänen

Niittynen²,

Poussa

et al. 2007

Eur J Clin Nutr

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Objectives: To investigate whether removing lactose from milk delays bowel function in lactose-tolerant women. We also examined how well the participants' subjective evaluation of the stool consistency according to the Bristol Stool Form Scale correlated with values obtained by dry matter analysis and penetrometry. Subjects and methods: A randomized double-blind cross-over trial. Thirty-three lactose-tolerant women consumed, in random order, 800 ml of lactose-free or ordinary milk per day for 2 weeks, with their main meal, but otherwise followed a lactose-free diet. The subjects estimated stool consistency according to the Bristol Stool Form Scale, registered stool frequency and gastrointestinal symptoms and collected stool samples. Results: The mean intake of lactose was 3.5 and 38.4 g/day during the lactose-free and the ordinary milk periods, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the lactose-free and the ordinary milk periods in stool frequency, gastrointestinal symptoms, stool hardness or faecal dry matter. Faecal pH was lower during the lactose-free milk period than in the ordinary milk period. The subjective estimation of stool hardness correlated well with the values obtained by dry matter analysis and penetrometry. Conclusions: Lactose-free milk does not delay bowel function in lactose-tolerant women. The Bristol Stool Form Scale is a useful method of evaluating stool hardness.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

Section: Study Milksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Removing lactose from milk does not delay bowel function or harden stool consistency in lactose-tolerant women

Seppänen

Niittynen²,

Poussa

et al. 2007

Eur J Clin Nutr

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“…Fecal consistency in all subjects was measured using Nakaji's method (Nakaji et al 2002a), developed by modification of the Exton-Smith method (Exton-Smith et al 1975), as follows. Each fecal sample was placed in a Petri dish (depth; 10 mm, diameter; 10 cm), flattened to a uniform height using a spatula, and placed on one dish of an even balance.…”

Section: Objective Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bowel Habits before and during Menses in Japanese Women of Climacteric Age: A Population Based Study

Fukuda

Matsuzaka

Takahashi

et al. 2005

Tohoku J. Exp. Med.

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A good deal of data are available on the bowel habits of pre-climacteric females during menstruation. Few studies have examined the same subject in females of climacteric age but who are still menstruating, so the present study was undertaken to examine the bowel habits in menstruating females in this age group. Subjects (n = 246) were residents of a city in northern Japan, aged from 45 to 55 years old and who were still menstruating. Their every-day state of defecation and fecal characteristics were assessed with regard to four parameters: bowel movement frequency, defecation state, fecal appearance and fecal consistency. Based on a perfect match to these four criteria, the subjects were assigned to two groups, the normal group and the constipation group, and changes were assessed by enquiring how their bowel habits differed immediately before and during menses compared with their usual state. Immediately before menstruation, in the constipation group feces became harder and looser in 22.1% and 13.7%, respectively, compared with 8.7% and 9.5% in the normal group. On the other hand, during menstruation in the constipation group, feces became harder and looser in 11.6% and 16.8%, respectively, compared with 5.7% and 8.9% in the normal group. In other words, the constipation group showed a greater change immediately before and during menstruation compared with the normal group, though the differences were not significant. Our data thus suggest that the changes in the bowel habits of women of climacteric age at menstruation are greater for those suffering from constipation than those who are not.

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“…The experimental methods available to characterise faecal consistency include penetrometry, viscometry and lyophilisation. Penetrometry measures the penetration of a standard cone into a faecal sample (Exton-Smith et al 1974) and data have been shown to correlate with faecal water content (Nakaji et al 2002). Viscometry measures the force required to rotate a standard spindle in a faecal sample and data have been shown to correlate with subjective descriptors of faecal consistency (Wenzl et al 1995).…”

Section: Characterising Faecal Output During Enteral Tube Feedingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enteral feeding: the effect on faecal output, the faecal microflora and SCFA concentrations

et al. 2004

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Enteral tube feeding is common in both the hospital and community environment; however, patients can suffer alterations in faecal output that can have serious clinical sequelae. Problems associated with accurate characterisation of faecal output and definition of diarrhoea impede the comparison of research studies and prevent standardised assessment of therapeutic interventions in clinical practice. The colonic microflora may protect the patient against diarrhoea by preventing enteropathogenic infection and by producing SCFA that stimulate colonic water absorption. However, studies in healthy volunteers suggest that the composition of the enteral formula may have a negative impact on the microflora and SCFA concentrations. The addition of fructo-oligosaccharides to the enteral formula may partially prevent negative alterations to the microflora, although conclusive data from studies in patients are not yet available. Modification of the microflora with probiotics and prebiotics may hold potential in prophylaxis against diarrhoea during enteral tube feeding.

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A New Technique for Measuring the Consistency of Faeces: A Report on Its Application to the Assessment of Senokot Therapy in the Elderly

Abstract: The use of a penetrometer provided a reliable and simple method of measuring stool hardness which enabled the stool softening effect of Senokot medication to be quantified.

Cited by 22 publications

References 0 publications

Removing lactose from milk does not delay bowel function or harden stool consistency in lactose-tolerant women

Removing lactose from milk does not delay bowel function or harden stool consistency in lactose-tolerant women

Bowel Habits before and during Menses in Japanese Women of Climacteric Age: A Population Based Study

Enteral feeding: the effect on faecal output, the faecal microflora and SCFA concentrations

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