title: Prevalence and impact of pelvic floor dysfunction in an adult cystic fibrosis population: a questionnaire survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pelvic floor (PF) dysfunction in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is poorly understood due to lack of research. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence, risk factors and bothersomeness of PF dysfunction and its implications for the clinical management of CF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 64 adults with CF approached at a tertiary hospital, 60 were surveyed. A clinically meaningful score on the Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire (APFQ) is ≥1 in each of the bladder, bowel, sexual function and prolapse sections or a global PF score of ≥3. A frequency Likert scale was used to analyse the impact of PF dysfunction on the ability to perform physiotherapy lung management when well and unwell.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of clinically meaningful bladder dysfunction was 39 % in women and 12 % in men, the prevalence of bowel dysfunction was 54 % in women and 44 % in men, and the prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 43 % in women and 65 % in men. APFQ scores were clinically meaningful only for bowel dysfunction in women (median 1.47, IQR 0.59 - 2.28). PF dysfunction constrains lung management in up to 22 % of patients when well and in 37 % of patients when unwell.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PF dysfunction affects the adult CF population, with PF symptoms limiting the ability of up to one in three patients to participate in physiotherapy management.
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, Mater Health Services, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy, Australian Catholic University, Banyo, QLD, 4014, Australia.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucht
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, Mater Health Services, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Aisling
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reihill
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, Mater Health Services, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia. judith.hough@acu.edu.au.|School of Physiotherapy, Australian Catholic University, Banyo, QLD, 4014, Australia. judith.hough@acu.edu.au.|Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia. judith.hough@acu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4264-9823
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hough
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059952:Pelvic Floor Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bladder; Bowel; Cystic fibrosis; Incontinence; Pelvic floor; Sexual dysfunction