title: Electromyography and vaginal pressure of the pelvic floor muscles in women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis and vulvodynia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the electrical potentials and pressure exerted by the pelvic floor muscles in women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) or vulvodynia as compared to control women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study performed in the Female Outpatient Clinic of Genital Infections in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Universidade Estadual de Campinas analyzed and compared electromyography (EMG) and vaginal pressure of the pelvic floor muscles in 61 women. Of these 61 women, 19 had vulvodynia, 12 had RVVC and 30 women had no disorder (control group). For data collection, the instrument used was the Miotool Uro device and its software Biotrainer (Miotec Ltd., Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The EMG evaluation of the pelvic floor muscles showed significantly lower values in the vulvodynia group (tonic contractions) and RVVC group (phasic and tonic contractions) when compared to the control group. No significant differences in basal tone EMG and vaginal pressure values at rest or during pelvic floor muscle contractions were found among groups. The maximum time of sustained contraction in patients with RVVC or vulvodynia was significantly lower (p < 0.0001) than in controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with vulvodynia and RVVC have more frequent pelvic floor muscle dysfunction than controls when observed by EMG evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas-UNICAMP Medical School, Campinas (SP), Brazil.
authors.forename: Nádia Cristina
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Polpeta
authors.forename: Paulo César
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Giraldo
authors.forename: Cássia Raquel Teatin
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Juliato
authors.forename: Laura Pagotto
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Rose Luce Gomes
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: do Amaral
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eleutério
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011312:Pressure; D012008:Recurrence; D014621:Vagina / Q000503:physiopathology*; D056650:Vulvodynia / Q000503:physiopathology*