The rs2018736 fibulin-5 polymorphism as a determinant for pelvic organ prolapse: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: Fibulin-5 is a connective tissue component and may play a role in pelvic organ prolapse (POP) pathogenesis. This study aimed to verify the association of the rs2018736 polymorphism of the fibulin-5 gene with POP in postmenopausal Brazilian women, and to determine the risk factors for POP. METHOD: This observational, cross-sectional, case-control study assessed postmenopausal women with advanced POP (stages III and IV) and control women (stages 0 and I) by examination and peripheral blood sample collection. DNA sequences were analyzed by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. A logistic regression model was used with p < 0.05 for significance. RESULTS: A total of 565 participants were evaluated (325 POP and 240 control). The homozygous C allele of rs2018736 (CC) was protective against POP (odds ratio [OR] 0.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.26-0.91). Age (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.05-1.13), number of pregnancies (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.01-1.28), vaginal delivery (OR 5.32, 95% CI 2.58-11.01), forceps delivery (OR 3.34, 95% CI 1.72-6.47), weight of newborn (OR 1.0007, 95% CI 1.0002-1.0011), family history of POP (OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.24-4.44), hypertension (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.01-3.00) and diabetes (OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.07-4.48)] were independent predictors for POP; cesarean (OR 0.02, 95% CI 0.005-0.09) was protective. CONCLUSION: The rs2018736-CC genotype of the fibulin-5 gene has a protective role against POP.

Predictors for long-term adherence to vaginal pessary in pelvic organ prolapse: a prospective study.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The objective was to investigate the rate of adherence to pessary treatment for pelvic organ prolapse (POP), to identify factors associated with long-term (longer than 1 year) use of vaginal pessaries in Brazilian women with POP and its impact on quality of life (QoL). METHODS: A prospective observational study assessed 247 consecutive women candidates for a pessary to manage symptomatic POP. Patients were fitted with a ring pessary and follow-up visits were performed at 1, 6, and 12 months. Pessary complications and reasons for discontinuation were recorded. Prolapse Quality of Life Questionnaire (P-QoL) was applied at baseline and after 1 year of treatment. We used a logistic regression model for the analyses, with p < 0.05 for significance. RESULTS: A total of 236 women were included in the study, of whom 110 (46.6%) maintained the pessary treatment for longer than 12 months. The main reason for pessary discontinuation was the patient opting for surgery (50.8%). Vulvovaginitis was the main long-term complication (44.5%), followed by vaginal ulceration (16.4%) and urinary urgency (10%). No prior hysterectomy (OR = 2.26; 95% CI 1.19-4.31), vaginal estrogen use (OR = 1.94; 95% CI 1.06-3.52), and mean age (OR = 1.03; 95% CI 1.01-1.06) were variables associated with long-term use of vaginal pessary (p < 0.05 for all). Total P-QoL score significantly changed with pessary use (519.1 at baseline and 260 after 12-month treatment, p < 0.00). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that no prior hysterectomy, the local estrogen therapy, and age might be factors associated with use of a ring vaginal pessary for longer than 1 year. Long-term pessary users had a significant improvement in their quality of life.

Collagen I and collagen III polymorphisms in women with pelvic organ prolapse.

AIMS: Verify the presence of the single nucleotide polymorphisms rs1800012 of the collagen I (COL1A1) and rs1800255 of the collagen III (COL3A1) genes and their association with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in Brazilian women and to determine risk factors for POP. METHODS: We assessed 826 postmenopausal women divided into POP (stages III and IV) and control groups (stages 0 and I) by examination and peripheral blood sample collection. DNA sequences of interest were analyzed by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. We used logistic regression analyses, recessive and codominance models of inheritance, and P < .05 for significance. RESULTS: Six-hundred and thirty-four postmenopausal women were included: 348 (54.8%) POP cases and 286 (45.1%) controls. The frequencies of GG, GA, and AA genotypes for COL1A1 were 69.12%, 20.24%, and 10.59% in POP group and 71.79%, 20%, and 8.21% in controls; GG, GT, and TT for COL3A1 were 37.54%, 59.53%, and 2.93% in POP group and 36.24%, 60.14%, and 3.62% in controls. There were no genotypic or allelic association with POP phenotype that link both SNPs rs1800012 and rs1800255 to increased risk of POP. Vaginal delivery (odds ratio [OR] = 13; 95% confidence interval [CI] [4.00-47.08]), POP family history (OR = 3.1; 95% CI [1.49-6.50]), diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.3; 95% CI [1.08-5.21]), number of pregnancies (OR = 1.2; 95% CI [1.05-1.36]), and age (OR = 1.1; 95% CI [1.09-1.19]), were variables of increased risk for POP (P < .05 for all). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests lack of association between DNA polymorphisms rs1800012 of COL1A1 and rs1800255 of COL3A1 with advanced POP. Vaginal delivery, POP family history, diabetes mellitus, number of pregnancies, and age are risk factors for POP.