[Clinical profile of patients with chronic pelvic pain: a descriptive analysis]. / Perfil clínico de los pacientes con dolor pélvico crónico: un análisis descriptivo.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper is to analyze the clinical profile of patients with chronic pelvic pain (CPP) to obtain a more accurate and fast clinical diagnosis. METHODS: In this retrospective and descriptive cross-sectional study, we recruited 64 patients with CPP (32 men and 32 women. Patients had confirmed diagnosis of CPP. History was done including past medical history, prior abdominal and pelvic surgery, practice of risk sports, start and evolution of the pain, and number of physicians visited. We evaluated pain intensity with a VAS scale, neuropathic characteristics of the pain with the DN4 questionnaire, anxiety and depression with the HAD Scale (HADS) and disability with the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI ). Pelvic floor evaluation integrated intrapelvic and extrapelvic muscles assessment. RESULTS: Average number of doctors visited was 6.4 for men and 10 for women. The VAS for men was 5.43 (± 2.29), for women 6.89 (± 1.89). The DN4 for men was 4.53 (± 2.2), for women 4.44 (± 2.2). The mean anxiety in men was 10.18 (±4.27) and for women 9 (± 4.6) and mean depression in men was 7.31 (± 4.88) and for women 7.16 (± 4). ODI for men was 26.7% (±2.2), for women 33.75% (± 2.2). CONCLUSION: We have defined a clinical profile of patients with CPP that can enable a better approach to the reality of these patients with diminished quality of life.

[Anal stretching device for patients with chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome].

OBJECTIVES: Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) is a poorly understood and ill-treated condition. It is accompanied by the shortening and increase in tone of the pelvic floor muscles and is closely related to myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). This study aims to evaluate the utility of an anal stretching device (ASD) for improving the pain manifestations of chronic prostatitis (CP) and CPPS. METHODS: Thirty-one men(38.6 years ± 8.2) were consecutively recruited with an average monitoring period of 14.4 months (± 8.2). The treatment duration was between six months and three years. A clinical history was compiled along with a physical examination and neurophysiological tests. To evaluate pain, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used before and after treatment; at the final visit, the Clinical Global Impression of Improvement scale (CGI-I) was administered. The ASD is a device that is commercially available in different diameters and lengths. RESULT: Patients were diagnosed with MPS using neurophysiological tests. Significant differences were found before and after the treatment when evaluating the intensity of the pain using the VAS (6.1±2.1 vs. 1.9±1.3; p < .001). The CGI-I showed a total of 21 patients (70%) whose symptoms were improved or very much improved. Only one patient was worse after the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: ASD appears to be a safe and useful tool to treat the pain manifestations of CPPS without notable side effects.

Turn-amplitude analysis as a diagnostic test for myofascial syndrome in patients with chronic pelvic pain.

BACKGROUND: Myofascial pain syndrome of the pelvic floor (MPSPF) is a common disease in the context of chronic pelvic pain (CPP); however, there is currently no gold-standard test to diagnose it. OBJECTIVE: To validate the turns-amplitude analysis (TAA) as a diagnostic test for MPSPF in patients with CPP. METHODS: A case-control study was performed, and patients were consecutively sampled within a specified period of time. A total of 128 patients were included: 64 patients with CPP (32 men and 32 women) and 64 control patients (32 men and 32 women). The same operator conducted all tests. Electromyography of the TAA is based on the collection of motor unit potentials that measure the number of changes in the signal and the mean amplitude of the changes. The electromyogram transfers the data to a graphical point cloud, which enables the patient's results to be compared with the results of the healthy subjects. RESULTS: In patients and control subjects, the sensitivity and specificity of the proposed diagnostic test showed a marked clinical significance: the sensitivity was 83%, and the specificity was 100%. A positive predictive value of 1 (95% CI 1 to 1) and a negative predictive value of 0.85 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.93) were observed. CONCLUSION: TAA is a reliable diagnostic test to detect MPSPF. Further studies are needed to reproduce these results.