title: Pelvic floor muscle strength and urinary incontinence in hyperandrogenic women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hyperandrogenism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) could increase muscle mass and thereby pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength, reducing the risk of urinary incontinence (UI). The aim of the present study was to assess PFM strength and UI among hyperandrogenic women with PCOS and a control group for comparison.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is an observational, cross-sectional, case-control study. Seventy-nine women, aged 18 to 40 years with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 23.4 kg/cm(2) were recruited at the University Hospital: PCOS (n = 36) and control group for comparison (n = 43). All PCOS women had clinical and/or laboratory hyperandrogenism (> 80 ng/dL) and control women had regular menstrual cycles. PFM strength was assessed by vaginal manometry. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire of Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) was used to assess UI. Descriptive analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher's exact test were used for statistical analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistically significant difference in mean PFM strength between the PCOS and the control group: 2.7 cm H₂O (95% CI -6.2-11.6) p = 0.55. The prevalence of UI was 18.6% in the control group compared with 0% in the PCOS group p < 0.01.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with PCOS showed absence of UI, but PFM strength did not differ from the control group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation and Functional Performance, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900 Monte Alegre, 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávia Ignácio
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Antônio
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bo
authors.forename: Rui Alberto
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ferriani
authors.forename: Marcos Felipe Silva
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: de Sá
authors.forename: Ana Carolina Japur
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: de Sá Rosa e Silva
authors.forename: Cristine Homsi Jorge
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017588:Hyperandrogenism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D008365:Manometry; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult