Correlation between the female pelvic floor biomechanical parameters and the severity of stress urinary incontinence.

BACKGROUND: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common condition that requires proper evaluation to select a personalized therapy. Vaginal Tactile Imaging (VTI) is a novel method to assess the biomechanical parameters of the pelvic floor. METHODS: Women with SUI were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed the Medical, Epidemiologic, and Social Aspects of Aging (MESA) questionnaire and the Patient Global Impression of Severity Question (PGI-S) and underwent a VTI examination. Based on the MESA and PGI-S questionnaires, participants were divided into mild, moderate, and severe SUI groups. Fifty-two biomechanical parameters of the pelvic floor were measured by VTI and compared between the groups (mild vs. moderate and severe). SUI Score and Index were calculated from the MESA questionnaire. Pearson correlation was used to determine the strength of association between selected VTI parameters and the MESA SUI Index and MESA SUI Score. RESULTS: Thirty-one women were enrolled into the study. Significant differences were observed in the VTI parameters 16, 22-24, 38, 39 when the difference between mild and severe subgroups of SUI based on the PGI-S score was examined. Parameter 16 refers to the maximum gradient at the perineal body, parameter 22-24 refers to the pressure response of the tissues behind the vaginal walls, and parameter 38, 39 refers the maximum pressure change and value on the right side at voluntary muscle contraction. VTI parameter 49, describing the displacement of the maximum pressure peak in the anterior compartment, showed a significant difference between the mild SUI and the moderate-severe SUI according to the MESA SUI score (mean ± SD 14.06 ± 5.16 vs. 7.54 ± 7.46, P = 0.04). The MESA SUI Index and SUI Score displayed a positive correlation concerning VTI parameters 4 (the maximum value of the posterior gradient) and 27 (the displacement of the maximum pressure peak in the anterior compartment) (VTI4 vs. MESA SUI Index r = 0.373, P = 0.039; VTI4 vs. MESA SUI Score r = 0.376, P = 0.037; VTI27 vs. MESA SUI Index r = 0.366, P = 0.043; VTI27 vs. MESA SUI Score r = 0.363, P = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Female pelvic floor biomechanical parameters, as measured by VTI, correlate significantly with the severity of SUI and may help guide therapeutic decisions.

A randomized controlled pilot trial to assess the effectiveness of a specially formulated food supplement and pelvic floor muscle training in women with stress-predominant urinary incontinence.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is the first-line treatment approach for stress urinary incontinence. Creatine and leucine have been shown to improve muscle function. Our aim was to assess the effectiveness of a food supplement and PFMT in women with stress-predominant urinary incontinence. METHODS: Women with stress-predominant urinary incontinence were randomized in 1:1 ratio to receive daily oral supplementation for six weeks with either a food supplement (treatment group) or placebo (control group). Both groups were instructed to perform standardized daily PFMT. The primary outcome was the Urogenital Distress Inventory Short Form (UDI-6) score. Secondary outcomes were the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7) score, Patient's Global Impression of Severity (PGI-S), and Biomechanical Integrity score (BI-score) measured by Vaginal Tactile Imager. To have a power of 80% and a significance level of 5% to detect a decrease of 16 points in the UDI-6 score, a sample size of 32 was needed, with 16 patients in each arm of our trial. RESULTS: Sixteen women in the control group and sixteen in the treatment group completed the trial. Between-group analysis revealed no significant differences between the control and treatment group except for mean change (delta) in vaginal squeeze pressure [(cmH2O, mean ± SD), 5 ± 12 vs. 15 ± 15, P = 0.04] and mean change (delta) in PGI-S score [(mean ± SD), -0.2 ± 0.9 vs. -0.8 ± 0.8, P = 0.04]. Within-group analysis showed that UDI-6 and IIQ-7 scores improved significantly from baseline to six weeks in the treatment group but not in the control group [UDI-6 score (mean ± SD) 45 ± 21 vs. 29 ± 21, P = 0.02; 43 ± 18 vs. 33 ± 26, P = 0.22] [IIQ-7 score (mean ± SD) 50 ± 30 vs. 30 ± 21, P = 0.01; 48 ± 23 vs.40 ± 28, P = 0.36]. PGI-S scores only improved in the treatment group from baseline to six weeks after treatment [PGI-S score (mean ± SD) 3.1 ± 0.8 vs. 2.3 ± 0.8, P = 0.0001]. BI-score, on average, improved significantly in the treatment and control group as well [SD unit, mean, from - 1.06 to -0.58, P = 0.001; from - 0.66 to -0.42, P = 0.04]. CONCLUSIONS: Women with stress-predominant urinary incontinence receiving a specially formulated supplement in addition to daily PFMT for six weeks had significantly improved urinary symptoms (decrease in UDI-6 score and IIQ-7) and BI-score compared to their baseline. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05358769. 27/04/2022.

Fractional CO2 laser treatment effect on cervicovaginal lavage zinc and copper levels: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The basic principle of vaginal laser therapy is the rejuvenation of the affected tissue. Zinc and copper are essential nutritional trace elements and have a key role in connective tissue homeostasis. We aimed to investigate the effect of vaginal, fractional CO2 laser treatment on cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) zinc and copper levels. METHODS: Twenty-nine postmenopausal women with symptoms of vaginal dryness were enrolled in our prospective cohort study. Three treatments with MonaLisa Touch CO2 laser system were performed four weeks apart. At each treatment CVL was collected, Vaginal Health Index (VHI) was obtained, and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for vaginal dryness was assigned by patients. Zinc and copper concentrations were measured with optical emission spectrometry before each treatment and six weeks after the 3rd treatment. RESULTS: The VHI scores significantly improved after each laser treatment (mean ± SD VHI score, 13.03 ± 4.49 before vs. 15.55 ± 4.35 after the 1st, 17.79 ± 4.57 after the 2nd and 19.38 ± 4.39 after the 3rd treatment, P < 0.01). Similarly, VAS scores reflected improvement (mean ± SD VAS score 6.59 ± 2.86 before vs. 4.17 ± 2.86 after the 1st, 2.45 ± 2.43 after the 2nd and 1.41 ± 1.94 after the 3rd treatment, P < 0.01). CVL zinc levels were significantly higher compared to copper levels (0.06 ± 0.04 vs. 0.006 ± 0.006 mg/L, P < 0.01) at baseline. While copper levels remained the same through treatments, the CVL zinc level was significantly higher after the second laser treatment compared to the baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Fractional CO2 laser treatment of the vagina impacts CVL zinc and copper levels differently. While CVL copper levels were not different after each laser treatment, zinc levels were significantly higher after the second treatment before returning to baseline values.

Application of ultrasound elastography in obstetrics and gynecology / Ultrahang-elasztográfia alkalmazásának lehetoségei a szülészet-nogyógyászatban.

Összefoglaló. Az ultrahang-elasztográfia az elmúlt évek során egyre növekvo figyelmet kapott a lágyszövetek elaszticitásának vizsgálatában. A módszer használatát az teszi szükségessé, hogy egyes, a mechanikai tulajdonságaikban különbözo szövetek hasonló echogenitásúak lehetnek, valamint hogy egy adott szövet megváltozott struktúrája vagy mechanikai tulajdonsága nem minden esetben jár együtt a szövet hagyományos ultrahangképének megváltozásával. Az elmúlt évtizedben a deformációs és a nyírási ultrahang-elasztográfia vált széles körben elérhetové. Ezen új képalkotási technika egyre nagyobb szerepet tölt be a szülészeti-nogyógyászati ultrahang-diagnosztikában is. A nogyógyászatban szerephez juthat az endometriosis és az adenomyosis kimutatásában, valamint a benignus és a malignus cervicalis és ovarialis képletek elkülönítésében. A nogyógyászathoz hasonlóan a szülészetben is jelentos változást hozhat az ultrahang-elasztográfia: alkalmas lehet a szülésindukció sikerességének, a koraszülés bekövetkezésének és a praeeclampsia kialakulásának elorejelzésére. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(18): 690-695. Summary. Ultrasound elastography has received significant attention for the assessment and measurement of soft tissue elastic properties in recent years. The advantage of ultrasound elastography lies in the fact that two different tissues can share similar echogenicities but may have other mechanical properties or, on the contrary, mechanical abnormalities of a designated tissue do not necessarily go hand in hand with an altered appearance on a conventional ultrasound image. In the last decade, strain and shear-wave elasticity imaging methods have become the most widely available among commercial ultrasound equipments. The importance of this new method expands rapidly also in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. Ultrasound elastography has a promising role in the diagnosis of endometriosis and adenomyosis and helps to differentiate benign and malignant cervical and ovarian lesions. The use in the prediction of the outcome of labor induction and preterm birth, and in the evaluation of preeclampsia are emerging. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(18): 690-695.

Vaginal elasticity is significantly decreased in vaginal atrophy: a strain elastography study.

OBJECTIVES: Strain elastography is a novel method to assess the elasticity of tissues. We aimed to evaluate the value of vaginal strain elastography in women with vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA). METHODS: Women with or without VVA were enrolled in this prospective study. Participants underwent vaginal cytology and vaginal wall elastography. Vaginal Health Index (VHI) was calculated. Based on Vaginal Maturation Value (VMV), participants were divided into atrophic and nonatrophic groups. Elastography parameters of the vaginal walls were measured in nine regions of interest (ROI). Elastography Index (EI) was defined by the average color score of nine ROIs. Groups were compared with unpaired t test or Mann-Whitney U test. Pearson correlation was used to determine the strength of association between EI and selected parameters. Multiple regression was used to evaluate the association between EI and age, VMV, and vaginal atrophy. RESULTS: Ten women were diagnosed with VVA, and twenty had no cytological signs of vaginal atrophy (age-range 38-79 y). VHI score was significantly lower in the atrophic group (mean ±â€ŠSD, 9.4 ±â€Š2.011 vs 16.6 ±â€Š4.22, P < 0.0001). In the atrophic group, EI was significantly lower than in nonatrophic group (mean ±â€ŠSD, 20 ±â€Š21 vs 47 ±â€Š4, P < 0.01). We found a strong negative correlation between EI and vaginal atrophy (r =  -0.706, P < 0.0001; 95% CI: 0.8501 to -0.4639). In the multiple regression model, only atrophy remained statistically significant for the prediction of EI (P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Vaginal elasticity is significantly decreased in women with vaginal atrophy, measured by EI. Our results suggest that strain elastography might be useful in the diagnosis of vaginal atrophy.