Dataset Information

Real Time Versus Photographic Assessment of Stool Consistency Using the Brussels Infant and Toddler Stool Scale: Are They Telling Us the Same?

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Digital communication is becoming increasingly important in clinical practice and research. The finding that stool consistency can be evaluated similarly using either "in vivo" or photographic material by health care professionals will decrease subjective interpretation by parents. The primary outcome of this study was the reliability of stool consistency scoring using the Brussels Infant and Toddler Stool Scale (BITSS) between fresh stools and their photos; the secondary outcome was the inter-rater reliability based on the fresh stools.

Methods

Fresh stool samples from healthy children were collected in a day care center. These stools, and one month later the corresponding photos presented in a random order, were presented to 14 observers. Reliabilities were analyzed using absolute agreements and weighted and unweighted Cohen's ?.

Results

In total, 202 samples were rated 576 times. Absolute agreement between photographic and real time assessment ranged between 71.1% and 83.3% among observers. This corresponded with substantial agreement (unweighted ?=0.70 [95% CI, 0.61-0.78]; weighted ?=0.86 [95% CI, 0.78-0.88]). The inter-observer agreement showed similar percentages of absolute agreement (81.4-82.0%) and ?-values corresponding with fair-to-moderate agreement.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that the assessment of fresh stool consistency can also reliably be done on photographic material when using the BITSS. This opens opportunities in scientific surroundings and in our daily life communication with parents and caretakers.

SUBMITTER: Aman BA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7813575 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Real Time Versus Photographic Assessment of Stool Consistency Using the Brussels Infant and Toddler Stool Scale: Are They Telling Us the Same?

Aman Berthold Albert BA Levy Elvira Ingrid EI Hofman Benjamine B Vandenplas Yvan Y Huysentruyt Koen K

Pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology & nutrition 20210108 1

<h4>Purpose</h4>Digital communication is becoming increasingly important in clinical practice and research. The finding that stool consistency can be evaluated similarly using either "in vivo" or photographic material by health care professionals will decrease subjective interpretation by parents. The primary outcome of this study was the reliability of stool consistency scoring using the Brussels Infant and Toddler Stool Scale (BITSS) between fresh stools and their photos; the secondary outcome ...[more]

PMID: 33505892

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundFor newborns and infants wearing diapers the difficulties in characterizing the appearance of the stool are significant, since the changes in consistency, quantity, and color of the stool are higher than in other age groups. The Amsterdam Infant Stool Scale (AISS) was created and validated in 2009, providing a specific tool for the evaluation of the stool of children up to 120 days old. However, to be used in clinical practice and scientific investigations in Brazil, it is mandatory to perform the translation and cross-cultural adaptation process for Brazilian Portuguese language. Thus, we aim to perform the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of AISS into Brazilian Portuguese and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the translated version.MethodsThe process of translation and cross-cultural adaptation was performed according to the internationally accepted methodology, including: translation, summary of translations, backtranslation, preparation of the pre-final version, application of the pre-test and determination of the final version. The evaluation of the psychometric properties was performed through the application of Brazilian Portuguese AISS, by five examiners (including child health field specialists and a literate adult lay on the subject), analyzing 238 stool photographs of children under 120 days old. The intra and inter-examiner agreement values were determined using kappa statistic. The validity of the criterion was investigated through correlation analysis (Kendall's coefficient) between the classifications determined by the non-specialist examiner and the expert examiners.ResultsIn all 30 tests performed between different examiners, there was an agreement considered as at least moderate (kappa values above 0.40). The intra-examiner reliability was considered as substantial (kappa> 0.6). There was a statistically significant correlation (p < 0.05) between the classifications determined by the examiners considered as specialists and the examiner considered as non-specialist.ConclusionThe Brazilian Portuguese AISS version proved to be valid and reliable to be used by healthcare professionals and the general public in the evaluation of stool from children up to 120 days old.

Dataset Information

Real Time Versus Photographic Assessment of Stool Consistency Using the Brussels Infant and Toddler Stool Scale: Are They Telling Us the Same?

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Real Time Versus Photographic Assessment of Stool Consistency Using the Brussels Infant and Toddler Stool Scale: Are They Telling Us the Same?

Similar Datasets

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