Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.21.2.137 on 1 February 1980. Downloaded from Gut, 1980, 21, 137-140 Relationship of proctitis and rectal capacity in Crohn's disease P BUCHMANN,* G A G MOGG, J ALEXANDER-WILLIAMS, R N ALLAN, AND M R B KEIGHLEY From the General Hospital, Birmingham SUMMARY In patients with Crohn's disease involving the rectum (n=25), there was an inverse relationship between rectal capacity and the degree of proctitis. However, in patients with Crohn's disease not involving the rectum (n=22) the rectal capacity was similar to that of normal controls (n =20). The frequency of defaecation was not related to the degree of proctitis or to the pressure of a colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis. Control subjects had a significantly lower frequency of defaecation than patients with Crohn's disease irrespective of involvement of the rectum. The effect of rectal distension on defaecation has shown in the Table. Rectal capacity was measured been studied in patients with rectal prolapse and with a Latex balloon, measuring 50 x 120 mm megacolon.1 2 The extent to which a subject attached over a polyethylene tube (external dia- tolerates rectal distention depends on his or her in- meter 4 mm). The tube was placed in the rectal dividual sensitivity. This tolerance tends to decrease ampulla, so that the lower end lay 2-3 cm above in elderly patients and is reduced in an inflamed the dentate line. In the control subjects and those rectum.3 4 The present study evaluates the rela- with mild proctitis the balloon was inflated incre- tionship between rectal capacity and the presence mentally with 50 ml aliquots of air inijected over 10 or severity of proctitis in Crohn's disease. seconds allowing a 30 second rest between each http://gut.bmj.com/ insufflation. In patients with moderate or severe Methods proctitis only 10 ml of air was injected each time. Inflation was stopped when rectal distension became PATIENTS intolerable or reached a volume of 400 ml. The Forty-seven patients with histologically proven patient was asked to indicate (1) when a sense of Crohn's disease were studied. There were 25 females rectal distention was first appreciated (sensation (mean age 38 years, 17-65) and 22 males (mean age when the sensation ofrectal distention threshold); (2) on September 26, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. 34.4 years, 19-59). There were two groups, 24 persisted during the 30 second rest (constant sensa- patients had undergone total colectomy and ileo- tion); and (3) when the sensation became intoler- rectal anastomosis and the remaining 23 had had able (maximal tolerated volume). caecal excision with resection of the terminal ileum. There were four patients with a diverting ileostomy Table Assessment ofproctitis in each group. Number ofpoints Twenty subjects, nine females (mean age 41 years, 25-96 years) and 11 males (mean age 49 Rectal appearance Absence of vessels I years, 26-75 years) with no gastrointestinal symp- Fine granularity of mucosa 2 toms acted as controls. Coarse granularity of mucosa 3 Contact bleeding 3 Ulceration METHOD Seen at only one site 1 Patients were asked about frequency of defaeca- Present throughout rectum 2 Large confluent ulcers 3 tion and consistency of the stool. Sigmoidoscopy Extent of any visible abnormality was performed to at least 20 cm with a rigid instru- Below 8 cm 1 ment without bowel preparation. The sigmoido- Entire rectum 2 were an score as Grade ofproctitis Score scopic findings graded by arbitrary Normal 0 *Address for reprint requests: Peter Buchmann, Surgical Clinic A, Slight 1-3 University Hospital. 8091 Zurich, Switzerland. Moderate 4-7 Severe 8- 11 Received for publication 13 August 1979 137 Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.21.2.137 on 1 February 1980. Downloaded from 138 Buchmann, Mogg, Alexander-Williams, Allan, and Keighley Radiological evaluation of rectal capacity was not Results studied in symptomatic patients. It was considered to be unethical in control subjects and patients The patients were grouped according to theldegree with no clinical indication for its use. of proctitis which was assessed as shown in'the Table. THRESHOLD SENSATION ml air 400 300 0 200 . * * . 0* 0 100 I-*...ee.e.*- *000 . - S..... - 0 O *S .. _ - Controls Normal looking Slight Proctitis Moderate Proctitis Severe Proctitis rectum NS NS p -0c05 NS http://gut.bmj.com/ Fig. 1 Volume ofrectalfilling in millilitres ofair to achieve thresholdsensation in control subjects and patients with Crohn's disease. CONSTANT SENSATION ml air on September 26, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. 400 . * * - . 300 *S .. * . 200 _ ... _ - S...... - 100 *S - - * - S0 0 & Controls Normal looking Slight Proctitis Moderate Proctitis Severe Proctitis rectum N S NS p -O*01 NS Fig. 2 Volume ofrectalfilling in millilitres ofair to achieve constant sensation in control subjects and patients with Crohn's disease. Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.21.2.137 on 1 February 1980. Downloaded from Relationship ofproctitis and rectal capacity in Crohn's disease 139 MAXIMAL TOLERATED VOLUME ml air 400 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 @--0 0 *- 0 *-@00 - 0000 - 0 300 . 0 - 000000- 00 200 0 00000 *0000 * 0 . 00 S 100 0 @ 0 - 0@- 0 0 0 *- Controls Normal looking Slight Proctitis Moderate Proctitis Severe Proctit rectum NS p 0-02 p < 0-01 p 0-01 Fig. 3 Volume ofrectalfilling in millilitres ofair to achieve muximal tolerated volume in control sub*iects andpatients with Crohn's disease (statistical evaluation with the Wilcoxon rank test). There were 22 patients with no evidence of rectal range one to two) (P<0-02). Patients with or without involvement, 13 with mild proctitis, seven with a colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis had a similar moderate proctitis, and five with severe proctitis. stool frequency. There was an inverse relationship between rectal There was no significant difference in the maximal http://gut.bmj.com/ capacity and the degree of proctitis. At the sensation tolerated volume between controls and patients with threshold (Fig. 1) and constant sensation (Fig. 2) slight proctitis, but a highly significant difference there was a statistically significant difference in between controls and patients with moderate rectal capacity in those patients with moderate proctitis (p<0 01). proctitis as compared with the other groups. At the maximal tolerated volume (Fig. 3) a significant Discussion difference was achieved at all grades of proctitis on September 26, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. compared with those Crohn's patients without Evaluation of proctitis by sigmoidoscopy findings is proctitis. The maximal tolerated volume was unaffec- influenced by observer error,5 although the most ted by the presence of a colectomy and ileorectal important abnormal features are well defined. In an anastomosis. In Crohn's patients without proctitis attempt to achieve objectivity all endoscopies were the results were similar to the controls. However, made by one observer (PB). only three of the 20 controls tolerated a distention Assessments of different techniques to measure of 400 ml of air before experiencing discomfort, rectal capacity have shown that an air-filled balloon whereas 10 of 22 patients in the Crohn's disease provides the most reproducible results.3 However, group without rectal inflammation were able to the differences between the volumes recorded in our tolerate inflation of the balloon up to 400 ml and study and others might be due to the different most could have tolerated more. dimensions of the balloon we used. Nine patients experienced occasional inconti- The relationship between the degree of proctitis as nence, which was always associated with urgency. observed sigmoidoscopically and rectal capacity is Soiling occurred only as a result of extreme urgency. statistically significant. A similar relationship was No significant difference in stool frequency was found in patients with ulcerative colitis.4 As Crohn's observed in Crohn's patients with or without proc- disease involves the whole thickness of the bowel titis. However, there was a significantly higher wall, the decrease in maximal tolerated volume with frequency of defaecation in Crohn's disease patients increased proctitis might be caused by either an without proctitis (median three stools/day, range increased sensitivity of the nerve plexus or an one to seven) than in controls (median one stool/day, increase in the rigidity of the rectal wall. We suggest Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.21.2.137 on 1 February 1980. Downloaded from 140 Buchmann, Mogg, Alexander- Williams, Allan, and Keighley that both factors may be responsible. First the References sensation threshold was apparent immediately after introducing the balloon into the rectum in Crohn's 'Porter NH. A physiological study of the pelvic floor in disease patients, but never in control subjects. rectal prolapse. Ann R Coll Surg EngI 1962; 31:379-404. Secondly, the reduced distensibility of a rectum 2Tobon F, Reid NCRW, Talbert JL, Schuster MM. A with severe proctitis can be appreciated by the manometric test for the diagnosis of Hirschsprung's observer on sigmoidoscopy. disease (Abstract). Gastroenterology 1967 ;52:1 143. Although, in normal subjects, the rectal walls are 3Ihre T. Studies on anal function in continent and in- usually opposed,6 normal or even increased disten- continent patients. Scand J Gastroenterol (Suppl) 25 sibility of the rectum with mild proctitis may help 1974;9. those patients with an ileorectal anastomosis to 4Farthing MJG, Lennard-Jones JE. Sensibility of the have a tolerably low frequency of defaecation. iectum to distension and the anorectal distension reflex It is interesting to notice that frequency of in ulcerative colitis. Gut 1978 ;19:64-69. defaecation was not related to the degree of proctitis. 'Baron JH, Connell AM, Lennard-Jones JE. Variation Patients with regional enteritis often have stools between observers in describing mucosal appearances with a consistency like porridge which they pass in proctocolitis.