Changes of collagen type III in female patients with genuine stress incontinence and pelvic floor prolapse.
OBJECTIVE
Objective of this study was to determine possible changes in the quantity of type III collagen in women with genuine stress incontinence (GSI) and with pelvic relaxation or not.


METHODS
Ninety-four women participated in the study and they were divided in to three groups as follow: 34 patients with GSI and pelvic relaxation (group 1), 32 patients with pelvic relaxation but without GSI (group 2) and 28 patients with neither pelvic relaxation nor GSI (group 3). All the women underwent a complete pre-operative urodynamic evaluation. The presence of collagen type III was determined by immunohistochemical technique. The X-test was used for statistical analysis. A P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.


RESULTS
Collagen type III was significantly reduced (p<0.05) in patients with GSI and pelvic relaxation in both sites of biopsy (group 1), compared to patients in groups 2 and 3. Specimens from women without GSI (group 2 and group 3) had a similar density of collagen type III in both sites of biopsy.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, we found that women with GSI had less collagen type III around the urethra regardless of the degree of pelvic relaxation. It appears that collagen has a significant role in the maintenance of urinary continence but the mechanism by which collagen metabolism is altered remains unknown.
Liapis
A
A
2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieio Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Bakas
P
P
Pafiti
A
A
Frangos-Plemenos
M
M
Arnoyannaki
N
N
Creatsas
G
G
D001706:Biopsy; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis*; D005205:Fascia / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008022:Ligaments / Q000737:chemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D017773:Pelvic Floor; D014521:Urethra; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014563:Urodynamics; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014599:Uterus; D014621:Vagina
D003094:Collagen