Evaluation of the International Spinal Cord Injury Bowel Function Basic Data Set Version 2.0 in Children and Youth With Spinal Cord Injury

Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil, 2022 · DOI: 10.46292/sci19-00001 · Published: January 1, 2022

Spinal Cord Injury Gastroenterology Pediatrics

Simple Explanation

Neurogenic bowel dysfunction is a common issue after spinal cord injury (SCI) in both adults and children. The International Spinal Cord Injury/Dysfunction (SCI/D) Bowel Function Basic Data Set, designed with International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) guidelines, aims to gather essential information about bowel experiences and challenges faced by individuals with SCI/D. Version 2.0 of this data set includes 14 items with updates such as closer alignment with the Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction (NBD) Score, incorporation of questions regarding abdominal pain and hemorrhoidectomy, a 4-week recall period for certain questions, and items applicable to children and youth. This study aims to assess how useful the International SCI Bowel Function Basic Data Set V2.0 is for children and youth. It examines the consistency of scores across repeated administrations, compares responses to medical records, and analyzes score reliability based on administration method (face-to-face versus phone).

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

41 children/youth ages 1 to 20 years

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
The average time to complete the data set was 5.17 minutes.
2
Interrater reliability was good to excellent (ICC ≥ 0.75) for most variables.
3
Only 12 (32%) medical records had explicit documentation of one or more of the variables on the Basic Bowel Function Basic Data Set V2.0.

Research Summary

This study examined the utility and feasibility of the International SCI/D Bowel Function Basic Data Set Version 2.0 in pediatric SCI populations. The data set was administered repeatedly to children/youth, and inter- and intrarater reliability were examined. The results showed that the data set is feasible to administer with low time burden, and responses to the majority of variables have moderate to strong reliability on repeated administrations at the point of care and over the phone. The study also found a lack of attention to neurogenic bowel in medical records, suggesting that the data set could be a useful tool for pediatric providers to facilitate information being included in the medical record.

Practical Implications

Clinical Practice

The International SCI/D Bowel Function Basic Data Set V2.0 can be implemented in clinical practice for efficient assessment of bowel function in children with SCI/D.

Research

The data set provides a standardized tool for collecting data on bowel function in pediatric SCI populations, facilitating future research and comparison of outcomes.

Medical Records

Using the data set can improve the documentation of neurogenic bowel in medical records, leading to better monitoring, prevention, and care for children with SCI/D.

Study Limitations

1
Small sample size
2
Lack of rater training
3
Challenges in determining the level of agreement between medical records and the data set

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