Objective: to evaluate whether faecal incontinence can be improved on treatment of constipation in somewhat old patients with faecal incontinence associated with impairment of rectal emptying.

Objective: to evaluate whether faecal incontinence can be improved on treatment of constipation in somewhat old patients with faecal incontinence associated with impairment of rectal emptying. Design: a prospective randomized investigation with a 2-month follow-up. Setting: five long-term care units. Subjects: 206 patients with daily faecal incontinence associated with chronic rectal emptying impairments as it is as faecal impaction received either a single osmotic laxative (group I) or an osmotic agent along with a rectal stimulant and weekly enemas (group II). Measurements: episodes of faecal incontinence and associated details of soiled laundry (used as indicators of the workload for caregivers). We performed periodic digital rectal examinations upon group II patients to evaluate whether treatment flowed in complete and long-lasting rectal emptying. We compared data between clusters and in group II between persistently constipated patients and patients with thorough rectal emptying. Results: the common occurrence of faecal incontinence did not significantly differ between the brace groups. The 23 patients in cluster II who had complete rectal emptying had 35% fewer episodes of faecal incontinence and 42% fewer incidents of soiled laundry than the quiescence of the group. Conclusions: when long-lasting and thorough rectal emptying is achieved by means of laxatives, the number of episodes of faecal incontinence as well as the workload for caregivers is reduced

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