The prevalence of fecal incontinence and associated risk factors in older adults participating in the SABE study.

AIMS: To assess the prevalence of fecal incontinence (FI) and associated factors in older adults. METHODS: The prevalence and factors associated with FI in older adults were studied by means the SABE study (Health, Well-being, and Aging). A group of 1,345 subjects were interviewed during the third wave of the SABE study performed in Sao Paulo, in 2010. The study included 64.3% females; the mean age of the participants was 70.4 years. The dependent variable was the positive answer for the question "In the last 12 months, have you ever lost control of bowel movements or stools?". Descriptive analysis and hierarchical logistic regression were performed. The independent variables were as follows: (a) demographics: gender, age and (b) clinical characteristics: self-reported chronic diseases, presence of cognitive and/or functional decline, depression and urinary incontinence symptoms, and nutritional status. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of FI was 11,7%, being 8.3% and 13.2% for males and females respectively. Among male subjects, the presence of malnutrition was associated with FI and thus presented a high relative risk index for its occurrence. Among female subjects, age group 70-74 years and some self-reported diseases or conditions such as mild depression, heart disease, urinary incontinence, and polypharmacy were associated with FI. For the first time in literature, polypharmacy appeared as an associated factor for FI for female older adults. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of FI in older adults was 11.7% and was mainly associated with advanced age and presence of heart disease, symptoms of depression, polypharmacy and urinary incontinence and malnutrition. Neurourol. Urodynam. 35:959-964, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fast-track protocol for perioperative care in gynecological surgery: Cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical and surgical outcomes in patients admitted to a gynecological surgery ward before and after the implementation of an evidence-based multimodal and multiprofessional care protocol by the hospital staff. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this historically-controlled cross-sectional study, we compared clinical and surgical outcomes among all women admitted to the gynecological ward of a university public hospital for elective surgery for various reasons before and after the implementation of a multimodal care protocol. The protocol had been implemented to adjust the following procedures to evidence-based recommendations: fluid management/hydration, antimicrobial prophylaxis, management of nausea and vomiting, antithrombotic prophylactic therapy, preoperative fasting, mechanical bowel preparation (reduction), pain management, use of urinary catheters, and stimulus to ambulation. RESULTS: After the protocol implementation, fasting time was reduced in approximately 10 h. Patients had to undergo bowel preparation significantly less frequently, and the volume of fluids was reduced too. The use of nausea and vomit prophylaxis increased almost 20 times, but only nausea episodes were reduced. The frequency of antithrombotic prophylactic therapy more than doubled. Hospitalization time decreased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed significant improvements in clinical outcomes after the implementation of a multimodal protocol for perioperative care in the gynecological ward of a public university hospital in Brazil. The protocol implementation was associated with reductions in fasting time, bowel preparation, administration of fluids, pain, nausea and hospitalization time, allowing the treatment of more patients per year in the same ward.

Pelvic floor muscle training in female stress urinary incontinence: comparison between group training and individual treatment using PERFECT assessment scheme.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is a treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) that can be done individually or in a group. The aim of this study was to compare these two types of treatment. METHODS: Sixty women 30 to 75 years old with SUI were randomly assigned to participate in the two groups. They were evaluated before and after the treatment with the Oxford grading system, pad test, voiding diary, and the King's Health Questionnaire. RESULTS: Both groups experienced significant reductions in urinary leakage as measured by the pad test and bladder diary. A negative pad test was observed in about 50% of patients in both groups. There were statistically significant improvements in both muscle strength and quality of life. When the groups were compared, there were no differences in the results between them. CONCLUSIONS: Individual treatment and group PFMT appear to be equally effective for improving SUI.

Role of glutathione S-transferase (GSTM1) gene polymorphism in development of uterine fibroids.

Glutathione S-transferase (GSTM1) plays an important role in the excretion of catechol estrogens and is therefore a candidate marker for fibroids. However, this case-control study demonstrated no association between GSTM1 polymorphism and the risk of leiomyoma in Brazilian women.