Transcultural adaptation and validation of the Moroccan Arabic dialect version of the Wexner incontinence score in patients with low anterior resection syndrome after rectal surgery

Abstract

Background: Bowel dysfunction symptoms such as stool clustering, urgency, incomplete voiding, and fecal incontinence are frequent after colorectal surgery and known as the low anterior resection syndrome. The Wexner score is the most widely used tool for fecal incontinence assessment. We aimed to translate and test the psychometric properties of the Moroccan Arabic dialect version of the Wexner questionnaire in patients with low anterior resection syndrome after rectal surgery.

Methods: The Wexner questionnaire was translated to Moroccan Arabic and administered to a group of 158 patients, among which a subgroup of 43 patients took the test for a second time to examine test-retest reliability. Cronbach alpha coefficient was used to determine internal consistency and correlation, and the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life C30 and the low anterior resection syndrome questionnaires were assessed for convergent validity. Discriminant validity was demonstrated through the Wexner score ability to detect differences based on the patients' different clinical and pathological characteristics.

Results: One hundred and fifty-eight patients completed the Moroccan Arabic dialect version of the Wexner score, which showed an excellent internal consistency with a Cronbach alpha score of 0.91. Test-retest reliability was established by a Bland-Altman plot with 95% limits of agreement. The score showed positive correlation to the low anterior resection syndrome score (r = 0.748; P < .001) and the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life C30 diarrhea symptom scale (r = 0.519; P < .001). A negative correlation was also demonstrated for each one of the 5 European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life C30 functional scales, namely physical functioning (r = -0.217 ; P = .006), role functioning (r = -0.267; P = .001), emotional functioning (r = -0.266; P = .001), cognitive functioning (r = -0.283; P < .001), and social functioning (r = -0,283; P < .001). The Wexner score differed between patients according to tumor location, chemoradiotherapy, type of mesorectal excision, and anastomosis.

Conclusion: The Moroccan Arabic dialect version of the Wexner score shows good psychometric properties and can be used for fecal incontinence assessment, particularly in colorectal cancer patients.