Pelvic floor symptoms and severity of pelvic organ prolapse in women seeking care for pelvic floor problems.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to estimate whether POP severity is related to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and symptoms of sexual difficulties, when evaluated with validated questionnaires.


METHODS
Multicentric cross-sectional study of 521 women seeking care for PFD in 35 specialized urogynecological clinics. Patients answered the EPIQ to detect symptoms of PFD. The severity of urinary incontinence and the OAB symptoms were measured by ICIQ-UI SF and BSAQ. POP anatomic severity was measured by the anatomic stage of each compartment, determined in pelvic examination in accordance with the IUGA-ICS terminology. A maximum POP stage (M-POP-S) was assigned to each patient: Group A, patients with no POP (stage 0-I); group B, M-POP-S stage II; and group C, M-POP-S stage III-IV.


RESULTS
Pelvic examination demonstrated anatomic POP in 224 patients (stage from II to IV). 288 women (56.25%) were classified in group A (no prolapse); 102 (19.92%) group B (stage II); and 122 (28.83%) group C (stage III-IV). Several associations were found between studied variables and M-POP-S (age<55 years, menopause, number of vaginal deliveries, symptom of vaginal bulge, feeling of a bulge makes it difficult to have sexual relations, symptoms of stress urinary incontinence, nocturia and voiding difficulties), but the only variables independently associated were age, symptom of vaginal bulge and difficulty in having sexual relations due to feeling of a bulge.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients seeking care for PFD, LUTS are not independently associated to the prolapse stage.
Hospital Clinic i Provincial, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: 12922mep@comb.es.
Montserrat
M
Espuña-Pons
Hospital de la Plana, Castellón, Spain.
Manuel
M
Fillol
Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain.
María A
MA
Pascual
BAP Health Outcomes, Oviedo, Spain.
Pablo
P
Rebollo
Astellas Pharma, Madrid, Spain.
Ana M
AM
Mora
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D059952:Pelvic Floor Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000209:etiology; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000209:etiology; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
Pelvic floor disorders; Pelvic organ prolapse; Sexual dysfunction; Urinary incontinence; Women