Effect of stool form on patients with hemorrhoids based on BSFS

[Objectives] To explore the effect of stool form on patients with hemorrhoids based on the Bristol stool form scale. [Methods] A cross-sectional survey was conducted from November 2021 to November 2022 in six hospitals. The survey included the general situation questionnaire, the Bristol stool form scale, a self-designed hemorrhoids symptom questionnaire, PATE score, Giordano severity of hemorrhoidal symptom questionnaire score, Chinese version of HEMO-FISS-QoL questionnaire, and body pain dimension of the short from-36 health survey. Patients were divided into the hard stool group (n＝103), the normal stool group (n＝446), and the loose stool group (n＝53) according to stool form, and the effect of stool form on patients with hemorrhoids was investigated. [Results] There were statistically significant differences in the anal pain attack frequency scores, dirty pants attack frequency scores, perianal pruritus intensity scores, perianal moisture intensity scores, dirty pants intensity scores, PATE scores, defecation dimension scores of the Chinese version of HEMO-FISS-QoL questionnaire, and body pain dimension scores of the short from-36 health survey among the three groups (P<0.05). Further pair-to-pair comparison showed that the anal pain attack frequency scores, PATE scores, and defecation dimension scores of the Chinese version of HEMO-FISS-QoL questionnaire in the hard stool group were higher than those in the normal and loose stool groups. The dirty pants attack frequency and intensity scores in the loose stool group were higher than those in the hard and normal stool groups. The perianal pruritus intensity scores in the loose stool group was higher than that in the hard stool group. The body pain dimension scores of the short from-36 health survey in the hard stool group was lower than that in the normal and loose stool groups, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.017). [Conclusion] The drier and harder the stool, the more frequent the anal pain and the worse the defecation experience in patients with hemorrhoids. The thinner the stool, the more frequent the incidence of dirty pants, and the more serious the intensity of dirty pants and perianal pruritus in patients with hemorrhoids.