Role of proteoglycans in the organization of periurethral connective tissue in women with stress urinary incontinence

OBJECTIVES: Connective tissue consists of fibroblasts and extracellular matrix (ECM) with collagen and elastic fibers, glycoproteins and proteoglycans (PGs) and it is considered an important factor of the supportive structures of the genitourinary region. Since PGs are essential for the organization of the collagen fibrils in the ECM, we investigated the presence of two PGs, fibromodulin and lumican, and of collagen type I in the periurethral connective tissue from women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), compared to asymptomatic controls. METHODS: Thirty-two patients participated in the study and they were divided into four groups: premenopausal incontinents, premenopausal controls, postmenopausal incontinents and postmenopausal controls. All patients underwent gynaecologic surgical procedures and punch biopsies from the periurethral tissue were obtained. Immunohistochemistry for collagen type I, fibromodulin and lumican was performed on the histological slides. RESULTS: In premenopausal incontinents the immunoreactivity for collagen type I was weaker with an irregular distribution compared to premenopausal controls; while for fibromodulin, the staining was stronger in premenopausal incontinents than in premenopausal controls. Between the two postmenopausal groups there was not a significant difference in the intensity of collagen type I and fibromodulin staining that instead were less strong than in premenopausal groups. Lumican staining had the same distribution in the four groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest an altered remodelling of connective tissue in the periurethral region of premenopausal patients with SUI, with a significant decrease of collagen content and an irregular organization and distribution of the collagen fibrils, compared to premenopausal controls. In the SUI patients this abnormal ECM remodelling, mainly related to the observed change in PGs expression, might affect significantly the tensile strength of the connective tissue and consequently the support that is provided by the urogenital suspensory apparatus to urethra and bladder base. Moreover, the significant decrease in collagen type I content in postmenopausal patients respect to premenopausal patients, suggests that age and hormonal factors could contribute to the pathological modifications of the supportive genitourinary connective tissues in the SUI patients.     

Disease stigma and intentions to seek care for stress urinary incontinence among community-dwelling women

Objectives

Urinary incontinence (UI) threatens women's physical and mental health, but few women seek healthcare for their incontinence. Evidence is substantial that stigma may be associated with health service utilization for such diseases as mental illness, but sparse for UI. We examine the relationship between disease stigma and intentions to seek care for UI.

Design and setting

A cross-sectional community-based study was used. A purposive sample of 305 women aged 40–65 years in a Chinese city who had stress urinary incontinence (SUI) was enrolled from May to October in 2011.

Measurements

Data were collected on socio-demographic characteristics, UI symptoms, disease stigma and intentions to seek care.

Results

Social rejection was positively linearly related to intentions to seek care for UI (β = 0.207; 95% CI = 0.152, 0.784), indicating that more social rejection predicted stronger intentions to seek care. Significant curvilinear association between internalized shame and intentions to seek care was observed (β = −0.169; 95% CI = −0.433, −0.047). Compared to women with the low and high levels of internalized shame, those with the moderate level of internalized shame reported stronger intentions to seek care.

Conclusion

The impact of stigma on intentions to seek care varies by aspects and levels of stigma. Social rejection enhances intentions to seek care while internalized shame influences intentions to seek care in a quadratic way. The crucial step of targeted interventions will be to disentangle subgroups of SUI women with different aspects and levels of stigma.     

Efficacy and safety of duloxetine in elderly women with stress urinary incontinence or stress-predominant mixed urinary incontinence

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of duloxetine in community-dwelling women > or =65 years with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) or stress-predominant mixed urinary incontinence (S-MUI) versus placebo. METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned for 12 weeks to placebo (N=134) or duloxetine (N=131) (20mg twice daily [BID] for 2 weeks and 40 mg BID for an additional 10 weeks), followed by a double-blind 4-week dose de-escalation/discontinuation phase. The primary efficacy variable was the percent change in incontinence episode frequency (IEF) from baseline to endpoint. Other variables included absolute IEF change, responder rate, changes in mean time between voids (MTBV), weekly continence pad usage, the impact of treatment on quality of life, patient's global impression of improvement (PGI-I), and changes in depression and cognition. RESULTS: Duloxetine-treated patients had a significantly greater decrease from baseline to endpoint in mean IEF/week than placebo-treated patients (-52.47% vs. -36.70%, P<0.001). The IEF responder rate (> or =50% reduction in IEF/week) was 57.1% in the duloxetine group and 35.2% in the placebo group (P<0.001). Significant benefits of duloxetine were also demonstrated for weekly continence pad usage (P=0.011), MTBV (P<0.001), incontinence quality of life questionnaire (I-QOL) scores (P<0.001), and PGI-I ratings (P<0.001). Patients with depressive symptoms and cognitive impairments were few and changes were insignificant. The proportion of patients with > or =1 treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE) was similar with both treatments, but dry mouth, fatigue, constipation, and hyperhidrosis were significantly more common in women taking duloxetine. CONCLUSIONS: Duloxetine is a safe and effective treatment for elderly women with symptoms of SUI or S-MUI.     

Predictors of female urinary incontinence at midlife and beyond

Urinary incontinence (UI) is an important middle age health issue and approximately 20% of women over 40 years of age have problems with continence. Urinary incontinence poses a significant negative impact on social functioning and quality of life to many individuals. It is estimated that around three million people are regularly incontinent in the UK with a prevalence of about 40 per 1000 adults. There are various factors which can cause incontinence such as pregnancy, childbirth, obesity, menopause, or just inherent connective-tissue weakness. All of these factors can cause pathophysiology changes in the muscular and fascial structures of the pelvic floor and lead to pelvic support defects and possibly pelvic floor dysfunction. We aim with this review article to highlight predictors or predisposing factors of incontinence; in order to help clinicians during their decisions and put in place a policy of a preventive strategy to decrease the incontinence rate in the general population.     

Lifestyle and health factors associated with stress urinary incontinence in Japanese women

Objectives

Studies focusing on lifestyle and health factors and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) are scarce in Japan. The aim of this study is to examine the association of lifestyle and health factors in SUI.

Methods

Study subjects were retrieved from Japanese women participating in a health checkup program provided by a general hospital between October 2003 and March 2006. The presence of SUI was confirmed by responses to a self-administered questionnaire assessing lower urinary tract symptoms. The questionnaire included other questions on lifestyle and health factors. Each subject underwent weight and height measurements.

Results

A total of 823 women completed the questionnaire and were included in the analyses (the response rate was 62.6%). Of them, 70 (8.5%) women had SUI. BMI and parity were significantly positively associated with SUI (OR = 3.47 and 7.17, 95% CI 1.65–7.33 and 1.71–30.04, respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis controlling for age, parity, and BMI showed that first delivery at age >27 (OR = 1.82, 95% CI 0.97–3.41), past estrogen use (OR = 2.50, 95% CI 1.14–5.47), and unilateral ovariectomy (OR = 3.07, 95% CI 1.16–8.13) were also significantly associated with SUI.

Conclusions

The data suggested that lifestyle and health factors such as parity, BMI, age at first delivery, past estrogen use, and unilateral ovariectomy were associated with SUI in Japanese women.     

Artificial urinary sphincter implantation with periprostatic cuff placement for urinary incontinence in men

IntroductionArtificial urinary sphincter (AUS) implantation is the treatment of choice for male urinary incontinence (UI). The aim of the present study was to evaluate treatment outcomes of UI in men using an AUS with a cuff placed around the prostatic urethra.Material and methodsForty-three men with preserved prostatic urethra were selected for AUS implantation due to UI. Twenty patients had the cuff implanted around the prostate using the retropubic approach (Group 1), and 23 had the cuff placed around the bulbous urethra (Group 2). Both groups were compared in terms of continence quality as well as intra- and postoperative complications.ResultsThe groups were comparable with respect to age and duration of follow-up. Median time to complications was 90.3 and 10.7 months in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively (p = 0.007). The complication rate was 40% and 58.3% in Group 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.001). Complete continence was obtained in 80% of patients from Group 1 and 33.3% of men from Group 2A (p = 0.001).ConclusionsThe analysis indicates that cuff placement around the prostatic urethra results in better continence and is characterised by fewer complications. This method is dedicated for patients who have not had the prostate gland removed. Due to the retrospective nature of this analysis and small groups of patients, it is not possible to formulate ultimate recommendations.     

Microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes in vaginal tissues from women with stress urinary incontinence compared with asymptomatic women

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiology of pelvic floor dysfunction resulting in stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women is complex. Evidence suggests that there is also a genetic predisposition towards SUI. We sought to identify differentially expressed genes involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) metabolism in vaginal tissues from women with SUI in the secretory phase of menses compared with asymptomatic women. METHODS: Tissue samples were taken from the periurethral vaginal wall of five pairs of premenopausal, age-matched SUI and continent women and subjected to microarray analysis using the GeneChip Human Genome U133 oligonucleotide chip set. RESULTS: Extensive statistical analyses generated a list of 79 differentially expressed genes. Elafin, keratin 16, collagen type XVII and plakophilin 1 were consistently identified as up-regulated ECM genes. Elafin, a serine protease inhibitor involved in the elastin degradation pathway and wound healing, was expressed in pelvic fibroblasts and confirmed by Western blot, quantitative competitive PCR and immunofluorescence cell staining. CONCLUSIONS: Genes involved in elastin metabolism were differentially expressed in vaginal tissue from women with SUI, suggesting that elastin remodelling may be important in the molecular aetiology of SUI.     

Differences in mRNA and protein expression of small proteoglycans in vaginal wall tissue from women with and without stress urinary incontinence

BACKGROUND: To investigate changes in mRNA and protein levels of biglycan (BGN), decorin (DCN) and fibromodulin (FMOD) in vaginal wall tissue from women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) compared to menstrual-cycle matched continent women. METHODS: We determined mRNA expressions of BGN, DCN and FMOD by quantitative real-time PCR. They were localized in vaginal wall tissue by immunohistochemistry. We performed western blot analysis to examine protein expression. RESULTS: BGN, DCN and FMOD co-localized with collagen and elastin in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of vaginal wall tissue from both groups. The mRNA expression of FMOD was significantly lower in cases versus controls in the proliferative phase (P = 0.03). DCN mRNA expression in cases was higher in the proliferative (P = 0.05) and secretory phases (P = 0.02) versus controls. BGN mRNA expression showed no significant differences in either phase. Protein expression of FMOD in cases was lower in the proliferative phase versus controls (six out of nine pairs), whereas DCN and BGN protein expression in the secretory phase in cases was higher (seven out of nine pairs). CONCLUSION: BGN, DCN and FMOD expressions in vaginal wall tissue differ in women with SUI and are hormonally modulated. Differences in small proteoglycans may contribute to the altered pelvic floor connective tissues found in these women.     

Effects of acupuncture on abdominal leak point pressure and c-Fos expression in the brain of rats with stress urinary incontinence

Stress urinary incontinence leads to the involuntary loss of urine during abdominal strain caused by sneezing, laughing, and coughing. Acupuncture has been widely used for the treatment and prevention of a variety of diseases in traditional medicine. Acupuncture has also been used to relieve the symptoms of functional disorders of the lower urinary tract. In the present study, we investigated the effect of acupuncture at the Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupoint on stress urinary incontinence in rats. The present results showed that abdominal leak point pressure was decreased in rats with stress urinary incontinence, while acupuncture at the SP6 acupoint significantly enhanced the abdominal leak point pressure. The expression of c-Fos in the pontine micturition center (PMC), ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG), and medial preoptic nucleus (MPA) regions was increased by the induction of stress urinary incontinence, and acupuncture at the SP6 acupoint significantly decreased c-Fos expression in these areas. In the present study, we showed that acupuncture has therapeutic effect on the symptoms of stress urinary incontinence, and this effect of acupuncture is associated with modulation of c-Fos expression in the brain.     

Estrogen therapy influence on periurethral vessels in postmenopausal incontinent women using Dopplervelocimetry analysis

Lack of estrogen affects the urinary tract mainly by diminishing vascular, muscular and epithelial trophism, resulting in negative effects on continence in postmenopausal women. Therefore, the use of estrogens in these patients may revert these alterations and lead to an expressive improvement of the urinary symptoms. OBJECTIVE: Study the effect of topical estrogen therapy (conjugated equine estrogens, estriol or promestriene) in periurethral vessels detected by Dopplervelocimetric analysis using, as parameters: the number of vessels, resistance and pulsatility indexes, as well as the minimum diastolic value. METHODS: Forty-one postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence were randomized into three groups according to different types of topical estrogen received during 3 months. Group 1 received conjugated equine estrogens, group 2 received estriol and group 3 received promestriene. Periurethral Dopplervelocimetry analysis was done before estrogen administration and during treatment in all groups. RESULTS: We observed an increase in the number of the periurethral vessels in group 1 and group 2, being higher in group 1 than in group 2. The pulsatility index remained unchanged in all three groups. The resistance index at the periurethral vessels reduced only at the conjugated estrogen group (group 1). In this same group we noticed an increase in the mean minimal diastolic value, meaning a better periurethral vascularization. CONCLUSION: Topical conjugated equine estrogens and estriol were effective in increasing the number of periurethral vessels in postmenopausal women with urinary stress incontinence, with the conjugated equine estrogens being the most effective intervention studied.     

TVT术治疗女性压力性尿失禁临床分析

目的评价无张力阴道吊带术T(VT)治疗女性压力性尿失禁疗效。方法经临床检查确诊为女性压力性尿失禁患者28例,采用聚丙烯网状吊带,手术自阴道前壁切口经耻骨后向下腹部穿刺,将无张力吊带置于尿道中段下方,利用吊带的倒刺结构提起、固定于穿刺经过的耻骨后和各层腹壁组织上,术中膀胱镜监视。结果手术时间平均(30±15)min;术中出血量平均(20±10)ml;术后平均留置导尿管2d;术后平均住院3d。随访1～39个月,平均21个月,尿失禁症状完全消失25例,明显改善3例,无手术失败病例。结论TVT手术治愈率高,操作简便,损伤小,恢复快,并发症发生率低,是一种治疗女性压力性尿失禁的有效方法。     

针灸治疗女性压力性尿失禁:随机对照研究特点分析

背景:众多文献对针灸治疗压力性尿失禁进行综述分析,但存在中外文献数据库检索不全面或没有针对性分析针灸对女性患者的单独疗效等局限性.目的:对针灸治疗压力性尿失禁临床研究各特点进行分析,为针灸临床提供参考.方法:检索从建库截止至2020-03-15 PubMed、Embase、Cochrane Library、Clinic...     

Quality of life and urinary incontinence in women

Urinary incontinence greatly diminishes quality of life. It is important to diagnose the three main types of urinary incontinence correctly - stress, urge or mixed incontinence - and to evaluate the impact of incontinence on quality of life. After a detailed history, a bladder diary and questionnaires are the most useful tools with which to determine what aspects of quality of life are most impaired - daily, work-related, recreational or sexual activities. In general, urgency and urge incontinence have a worse effect on quality of life than stress urinary incontinence. Measures of quality of life have become essential in developing management plans and in follow-up.     

盆底磁刺激治疗女性压力性尿失禁近期疗效初探

目的探讨盆底磁刺激治疗女性压力性尿失禁的短期临床效果。方法20例压力性尿失禁患者，平均年龄为（52．5±11．0）岁．平均产次（1．4±0．6）次：11例（56％）处于绝经期。接受Neocontrol 盆底磁刺激治疗8周，根据治疗前后患者主观和客观临床参数评分进行疗效评价，并进行治疗前后生活质量评分和膀胱充盈试验，治疗结束后随访3个月,随诊率100％。结果治疗结束后75％患者不再漏尿，15％患者症状得到改善。1h尿垫试验结果平均溢尿量减少7．6g,3d溢尿次数平均减少5．1次。16例患者治疗前后行膀胱灌注试验,治疗后初始排尿欲膀胱容量和最大膀胱容量较治疗前增大,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。所有患者生活质量评分显著提高（P〈0．05）。治疗中未见任何副作用。治疗后随诊3个月，治愈患者中60％症状复发。结论盆底磁刺激是治疗压力性尿失禁的安全、有效、简便、无痛的方法，但疗效持续时间较短。     

女性压力性尿失禁经TVT术并发症(附8例报告)

目的提高对经阴道中段吊带（TVT）术并发症的诊断及处理能力。方法选取2002年5月～2006年8月进行的66例TVT术出现并发症8例．包括膀胱穿孔2例、阴道出血1例、膀胱结石2例、排尿困难2例和阴道前壁侵蚀感染1例。对其临床症状、体征、诊断及处理进行分析。结果对并发症处理后的所有病例随访6个月，结果满意，无排尿困难及尿痛等症状的复发。结论认识TVT术相关并发症的表现可提高诊断和处理TVT并发症的能力。     

Age-specific prevalence of,and factors associated with,different types of urinary incontinence in community-dwelling Australian women assessed with a validated questionnaire

Objective

The aim of this study was to document the age-specific prevalence of different types of urinary incontinence (UI) in women and to identify the risk factors associated with each type of UI.

Design

A detailed self-administered questionnaire was mailed to 542 community-dwelling women, aged 24–80 years. The questionnaire included a validated instrument, the Questionnaire for Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis (QUID), for the assessment of stress, urge and mixed UI.

Results

Five hundred and six of the 542 women provided data (93.4%). The overall prevalence of any UI was 41.7% [95% confidence interval (CI): 37.2–45.8%]. Of the 210 women reporting UI, 16% [95% CI: 12.9–19.3%] reported stress only; 7.5% [95% CI: 5.2–9.8%] reported urge only and 18% [95% CI: 14.7–21.5%] reported a mixed pattern. Stress incontinence was most common amongst middle-aged women (25.3% of women aged 35–44 years), while urge incontinence was most common in women over the age of 75 years (24.2%). In logistic regression analyses, obesity (p < 0.001) and being parous (p = 0.019) were found to be significantly associated with stress incontinence, increasing age (p = 0.002) with urge incontinence, and being overweight (p = 0.035) or obese (p < 0.001) and having had a hysterectomy (p = 0.021) with mixed incontinence.

Conclusions

UI is a highly prevalent condition in women living in the community. Stress, urge and mixed incontinence have different age distributions and risk factors. These data are important in understanding the etiology, management and possible prevention of these conditions.     

A clinicoanatomical study of the novel nerve fibers linked to stress urinary incontinence: the first morphological description of a nerve descending properly along the anterior vaginal wall

When performing anterior colporrhaphy for cystocele, most pelvic surgeons have not considered the neuroanatomy that contributes to urethral function. The aim of the study was to anatomically identify nerve fibers located in the anterior vagina associated with the pathogenesis of incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. Anterior vaginal specimens were obtained from 17 female cadavers and 33 cases of clinical cystocele by anterior vaginal resection. The specimens were step-sectioned and stained with hematoxylin-eosin, S100 antibody, and tyrosine hydroxylase antibody. As a result, descending nerves 50-200 microm in thickness were identified between the urethra and vagina. They were located more than 10 mm medially from a cluster of nerves found almost along the lateral edge of the vagina and stained with S100 and tyrosine hydroxylase antibody, originated from the cranial part of the pelvic plexus, and appeared to terminate at the urethral smooth muscles. The authors classified the density of S100 positive nerve fibers in the anterior vaginal wall obtained from clinically operated cases of cystocele into three grades (Grade 1, nothing or a few thin nerves less than 20 microm in diameter; Grade 2, thick nerves more than 50 microm in diameter and thin nerves; Grade 3, more than 3 thick nerves in one field at an objective magnification of 40x). Mean urethral mobility (Q-tip) values (28.1 degrees +/-+/- 19.6 degrees ) observed in the Grade 3 cases was significantly lower than those (50.0 degrees +/-+/- 27.4 degrees and 59.4 degrees +/-+/- 19.9 degrees ) in Grade 2 and Grade 1, respectively. In addition, the presence of preoperative or postoperative stress urinary incontinence in the cases of Grade 1 was significantly higher than those of the cases with S100 positive stained nerves. In conclusion, the novel nerve fibers immunohistochemically identified in the anterior vaginal wall are different from those of the common nervous system or the pelvic floor and are associated with the pathogenesis of urethral hypermobility.     

补中益气汤加味改善压力性尿失禁患者生存质量的研究

目的评估补中益气汤加味改善压力性尿失禁（SUI）患者生存质量的效果。方法将58例女性压力性尿失禁患者随机分为A组和B组,采用两阶段交叉设计,A组先行运动疗法后服用中药,B组先服用中药后行运动疗法,比较分析两组治疗后的疗效。结果两组受试者的年龄、体重指数（BMI）、病程、怀孕生育次数及经产史、Gullen分度、中医证型分布差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）;第一阶段治疗后,运动组的失禁程度、ICI-Q-SF、I-QOL评分在治疗前后差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,失禁频率和夜尿次数差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）;中药组的各项指标在治疗前后差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）;疗效评价：两种治疗方法治疗后两组的失禁频率、失禁程度、夜尿次数差异有统计学意义（P〈0.01）,两种治疗方法间ICI-Q-SF、I-QOL评分差异均有统计学意义（P〈0.01）。结论补中益气汤加味与盆底肌运动法都是治疗SUI的有效方法,补中益气汤加味治疗SUI较盆底肌运动法疗效更佳,并且能更好的改善SUI患者的生存质量。     

Single-blind, randomized, controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle training, electrical stimulation, vaginal cones, and no active treatment in the management of stress urinary incontinence

PURPOSE: To compare the effectiveness of pelvic floor exercises, electrical stimulation, vaginal cones, and no active treatment in women with urodynamic stress urinary incontinence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred eighteen subjects were randomly selected to receive pelvic floor exercises (n=31), ES (n=30), vaginal cones (n=27), or no treatment (untreated control) (n=30). Women were evaluated before and after completion of six months of treatment by the pad test, quality of life questionnaire (I-QOL), urodynamic test, voiding diary, and subjective response. RESULTS: In the objective evaluation, we observed a statistically significant reduction in the pad test (p=0.003), in the number of stress urinary episodes (p<0.001), and a significant improvement in the quality of life (p<0.001) in subjects who used pelvic floor exercises, electrical stimulation, and vaginal cones compared to the control group. No significant difference was found between groups in the urodynamic parameters. In the subjective evaluation, 58%, 55%, and 54% of women who had used pelvic floor exercises, electrical stimulation, and vaginal cones, respectively, reported being satisfied after treatment. In the control group, only 21% patients were satisfied with the treatment. CONCLUSION: Based on this study, pelvic floor exercises, electrical stimulation, and vaginal cones are equally effective treatments and are far superior to no treatment in women with urodynamic stress urinary incontinence.     

动态MRI在评估女性压力性尿失禁患者膀胱尿道解剖及功能学中的意义

目的通过盆底动态MRI结合尿动力学检查评估女性压力性尿失禁(stress urinary incontinence,SUI)患者膀胱尿道解剖学异常与功能学改变的相关性。方法回顾性分析本院2011年2月至2013年11月收治的60例女性压力性尿失禁(SUI)患者的临床资料,盆底动态MRI正中矢状面上测量H线长度、M线长度、尿道前倾角以及膀胱、子宫、肛直肠连接部越过耻尾线(pubococcygeal line,PCL)的距离,记录尿动力学参数,Pearson's相关性分析统计分别统计H线、M线长度与尿道前倾角的相关性,H线、M线长度与膀胱颈、子宫、肛直肠连接部越过耻尾线(PCL)的距离的相关性,H线、M线长度与尿动力学参数的相关性。结果 H线、M线长度与尿道前倾角呈正相关,H线、M线长度分别与膀胱颈、子宫、肛直肠连接部越过耻尾线(PCL)的距离呈正相关,H线、M线长度分别与功能性尿道长度、最大尿道闭合压、腹压漏尿点压(VLPP)、逼尿肌开启压呈负相关。结论盆底动态MRI结合尿动力学检查能够对女性压力性尿失禁(SUI)患者膀胱尿道的形态及功能学改变进行较全面的评估。