Abstract
Study design
Double blind, non-inferiority crossover randomised controlled trial.
Objectives
To determine if micro enemas administered with a squeeze-tube and a 5 cm-long nozzle (squeeze-tube method) are as good or better than micro enemas administered with a 10 cm-long catheter attached to a syringe (catheter method) in people with a recent spinal cord injury.
Setting
Two inpatient spinal cord injury units located in Sydney, Australia.
Methods
Twenty people admitted to hospital with recent spinal cord injury were randomly assigned to two treatment sequences; 4 weeks of micro enemas delivered by the squeeze-tube method followed by 4 weeks of micro enemas delivered by the catheter method, or vice versa. Each treatment sequence was 8 weeks with a crossover at the end of week 4. The primary outcome was time to complete bowel care. Secondary outcomes reflected faecal incontinence, quality of life, perception of treatment effectiveness and participant reported time to complete bowel care. The primary and secondary outcomes were measured by blinded assessors in week 4 and week 8. A non-inferiority margin of 10 min for time to complete bowel care was set a priori.
Results
The mean between group difference (95% confidence interval) for the time to complete bowel care was −0.5 min (−2.8 to 1.8), where a negative value favours the catheter method. Results were similar for all secondary outcomes.
Conclusions
Micro enemas delivered by the squeeze-tube method are as good or better than micro enemas delivered by the catheter method in people with a recent spinal cord injury.
【초록키워드】 Treatment, randomised controlled trial, hospital, outcome, non-inferiority, Quality of life, Care, Spinal cord injury, Treatment effectiveness, Primary outcome, 95% confidence interval, non-inferiority margin, Secondary outcomes, sequence, secondary outcome, blind, Administered, bowel, Complete, objective, setting, secondary, Randomly, Result, blinded, reported, reflected, determine, assigned, were measured, 【제목키워드】 randomised controlled trial, non-inferiority, Administered,