Age and anorectal sensibility in normal women

Background: Our aim was to study associations between age and anorectal sensibility in healthy women. Methods: Seventy-five women, with a mean 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 (minimum 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 values of AME increased with age (P = 0.03 (1 cm) and P = 0.01 (2 cm)). Rectal 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 were greater after menopause, whereas associations between rectal sensibility and age seemed linear. Conclusion: impairment of the anorectal sensibility appears to be part of the normal ageing process, thus increasing, the risk of faecal incontinence in old women.