title: Power Doppler of the urethra in continent or incontinent, pre- and postmenopausal women.
abstract: Urethral pressure should exceed bladder pressure, both at rest and on stress, for urinary continence to occur. A decrease in urethral pressure is a major factor explaining the pathogenesis of urinary incontinence. A number of elements, such as smooth and striated periurethral muscles, and connective, vascular and elastic tissues, contribute to urethral pressure. The periurethral vessels are influenced by hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy and postmenopause. We studied the periurethral vessels in 97 women, 57 of whom were incontinent and 40 continent, using power color Doppler velocimetry. The number of periurethral vessels, systolic peak, minimum diastolic values, pulsatility and resistance indexes, as well as systolic-diastolic ratio, were assessed. Statistically significant differences were found between incontinent women in the premenopausal period and those in the postmenopausal period, regarding the number of periurethral vessels, systolic peak, minimum diastolic values, pulsatility and resistance indexes.
authors.affiliation: Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Z I
authors.initials: ZI
authors.lastname: Jármy-Di Bella
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Girão
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Sartori
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Bella Júnior
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lederman
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Baracat
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Lima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology; D017697:Premenopause / Q000502:physiology; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D013599:Systole; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014521:Urethra / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014563:Urodynamics; D014655:Vascular Resistance