AGE AND ANORECTAL SENSIBILITY IN NORMAL WOMEN

Background: Our aim was to study associations between age and anorecta l sensibility in healthy women. Methods: Seventy-five women, with a me an age of 50 (range, 20-83) years, and mean parity of 2 (range, 0-4), were studied. Anal mucosa electrosensitivity (AME) was measured 1 and 2 cm from the anal verge. Rectal sensibility was also measured (minimu m perceived volume (MPV), desire to defaecate (DD), and urgency (U)). Associations between anorectal sensibility and age were corrected for parity by using multiple regression analysis. Results: Threshold value s of AME increased with age (P = 0.03 (1 cm) and P = 0.01 (2 cm)). Rec tal sensibility threshold values were also positively associated with age (MPV, P = 0.003: DD, P = 0.01; and U, P = 0.06). Changes in AME we re greater after menopause, whereas associations between rectal sensib ility and age seemed linear. Conclusion: impairment of the anorectal s ensibility appears to be part of the normal ageing process, thus incre asing, the risk of faecal incontinence in old women.