title: The relationship between the presence of lower urinary tract symptoms and waist circumference.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study is to evaluate the pressure of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) according to waist circumference (WC) and correlate the presence of urinary tract symptoms (UTS) with WC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was observational and cross-sectional. One-hundred and sixty-four females between 45 and 65 years of age were evaluated. The sample was divided into two groups, according to WC: Group ≤80 (G≤80) was composed of females in whom WC was up to 80 cm; and Group >80 (G>80) was composed of females with WC above 80 cm. The subjects were assessed in terms of sociodemographic data, pre-existing conditions, urogynecological and obstetric history, and the presence of lower UTS (LUTS), as well as physical examination, measurement of WC, height, and weight. The PFM assessment was made by perineometry. To compare the mean between groups, the independent samples t-test was applied, and to correlate the WC with perineometry and LUTS, the Pearson's correlation test was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The final sample was composed of 156 patients. The average age of participants was 55.21 (±24.5) years in G≤80 and 57.23 (±6.12) years in G>80. There were significant differences regarding the presence of LUTS between the groups (P<0.05); as to the perineometry, there was a significant difference (P=0.03) between the groups: 38.68±13.63 cmH2O for G≤80 and 30.11±11.20 cmH2O for G>80. There was a correlation between the presence of urinary urgency (r=0.7; P=0.00), nocturia (r=0.7; P=0.00), and urinary incontinence (r=0.9; P=0.00) with WC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Females with larger abdominal diameter have a higher prevalence of LUTS such as urinary incontinence, nocturia, and urinary urgency, as well as a lower PFM pressure. Furthermore, a relationship between LUTS with WC was also observed.
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Clara Eugênia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Larissa Ramalho Dantas
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Varella
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Priscylla Helouyse Melo
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Angelo
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Thereza Albuquerque Barbosa Cabral
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Micussi
keywords: abdominal obesity; females; pelvic floor; urinary incontinence