A systematic review of non-invasive modalities used to identify women with anal incontinence symptoms after childbirth

© 2018, The International Urogynecological Association. Introduction and hypothesis: Anal incontinence following childbirth is prevalent and has a significant impact upon quality of life (QoL). Currently, there is no standard assessment for women after childbirth to identify these symptoms. This systematic review aimed to identify non-invasive modalities used to identify women with anal incontinence following childbirth and assess response and reporting rates of anal incontinence for these modalities. Methods: Ovid Medline, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED), Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Collaboration, EMBASE and Web of Science databases were searched for studies using non-invasive modalities published from January 1966 to May 2018 to identify women with anal incontinence following childbirth. Study data including type of modality, response rates and reported prevalence of anal incontinence were extracted and critically appraised. Results: One hundred and nine studies were included from 1602 screened articles. Three types of non-invasive modalities were identified: validated questionnaires/symptom scales (n = 36 studies using 15 different instruments), non-validated questionnaires (n = 50 studies) and patient interviews (n = 23 studies). Mean response rates were 92% up to 6 weeks after childbirth. Non-personalised assessment modalities (validated and non-validated questionnaires) were associated with reporting of higher rates of anal incontinence compared with patient interview at all periods of follow-up after childbirth, which was statistically significant between 6 weeks and 1 year after childbirth (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This systematic review confirms that questionnaires can be used effectively after childbirth to identify women with anal incontinence. Given the methodological limitations associated with non-validated questionnaires, assessing all women following childbirth for pelvic-floor symptomatology, including anal incontinence, using validated questionnaires should be considered

OZONATION OF TRACE ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS - MODEL PREDICTIONS VERSUS EXPERIMENTAL-DATA

This paper is focused on the use of ozone for the elimination of manmade organic micropollutants from drinking waters and waste effluents requiring advanced treatment. A mathematical model was developed to simulate the physical transport and chemical oxidation phenomena prevailing during the process of ozonation. A packed column reactor was constructed in order to test the aptness of the process model. After determining the fluid-dynamic and mass transfer properties of the reactor, stock water solutions spiked with toluene were brought into contact with gaseous O2-O3 mixtures. Toluene removal efficiencies observed under different experimental conditions then were compared with the model predictions

Email for clinical communication between healthcare professionals

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of healthcare professionals communicating clinical information via email, when compared to other forms of communicating clinical information, on outcomes for health professionals, patients and carers, and health services, including harms