Objectives

To identify abnormal function of the limbic cortex (LC) in response to urinary urgency among patients with Overactive Bladder (OAB) using brain functional MRI (fMRI)

Methods

5 OAB subjects and 5 Controls underwent bladder filling and rated urgency sensations while fMRI measured activation in discrete volumes (voxels) within the brain. Changes in brain activation were related to bladder distension and individual subject’s rating of urgency via multiple regression analysis. Beta weights from regression equations were converted into percent signal change (PSC) for each voxel and PSC compared to the null hypothesis using T-tests. Significance threshold of P<.05 was applied along with a cluster size threshold of.32 ml (5 voxels).

Results

OAB patients showed increased brain activation in LC, specifically the insula (IN) and Anterior Cingulate Gyrus (ACG), associated with increased urgency. Urgency sensations during low volumes were associated with bilateral IN activation in OAB subjects (7,621 voxels right IN, 4,453 voxels left IN, mean beta weights .018 +/− .014 and .014 +/− .011) Minimal activation was present in Controls (790 voxels right IN, beta weight =.010 +/− .007). Urgency sensations during high volumes were associated with bilateral ACG activation in OAB subjects (2,304 voxels right IN, 5,005 voxels left IN, mean beta weights of 005 +/− .003 and 004+/−.003) without activation in Controls.

Conclusions

Urinary urgency in patients with OAB is associated with increased activation of the LC. This activation likely represents abnormal processing of sensory input in brain regions associated with emotional response to discomfort.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of posterior repair (PR) on sexual function in patients who have undergone incontinence and/or pelvic reconstructive surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

A cohort study of women who underwent incontinence and/or prolapse surgery was performed. Participants completed the pelvic organ prolapse urinary incontinence sexual questionnaire (PISQ) before and after the operation. PISQ scores were compared between women who underwent PR and women who did not.

RESULTS

Of 73 study participants, 30 women underwent PR; 43 women did not (no PR). Although there was no difference in dyspareunia between groups pre-op, dyspareunia prevalence post-op was significantly lower in the no PR group. Preoperative PISQ scores were similar between groups. After the operation, both groups significantly improved their PISQ scores, without a difference between groups.

CONCLUSION

Although the incidence of dyspareunia differed between PR and no PR groups, overall improvement in sexual function was reflected in improved total PISQ scores that occurred irrespective of PR performance.

Objectives

(1) To systematically collect and organize into clinical categories all outcomes reported in trials for abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB); (2) to rank the importance of outcomes for patient decision making; and (3) to improve future comparisons of effects in trials of AUB interventions.

Study Design and Setting

Systematic review of English-language randomized controlled trials of AUB treatments in MEDLINE from 1950 to June 2008. All outcomes and definitions were extracted and organized into major outcome categories by an expert group. Each outcome was ranked “critically important,” “important,” or “not important” for informing patients’ choices.

Results

One hundred thirteen articles from 79 trials met the criteria. One hundred fourteen different outcomes were identified, only 15 (13%) of which were ranked as critically important and 29 (25%) as important. Outcomes were grouped into eight categories: (1) bleeding; (2) quality of life; (3) pain; (4) sexual health; (5) patient satisfaction; (6) bulk-related complaints; (7) need for subsequent surgical treatment; and (8) adverse events.

Conclusion

To improve the quality, consistency, and utility of future AUB trials, we recommend assessing a limited number of clinical outcomes for bleeding, disease-specific quality of life, pain, sexual health, and bulk-related symptoms both before and after treatment and reporting satisfaction and adverse events. Further development of validated patient-based outcome measures and the standardization of outcome reporting are needed.

Changes in sexual function are common in postpartum women. In this comparative, descriptive study, a prospective cohort of midwifery patients consented to documentation of genital trauma at birth and assessment of sexual function three months postpartum. The impact of spontaneous genital trauma on postpartum sexual function was the focus of the study. Trauma was categorized into minor trauma (no trauma or 1st degree perineal or other trauma that was not sutured) or major trauma (2nd, 3rd, or 4th degree lacerations or any trauma that required suturing). Women who underwent episiotomy or operative delivery were excluded. Fifty eight percent (326/565) of enrolled women gave sexual function data; of those, 276 (85%) reported sexual activity since delivery. Seventy percent (193) of women sustained minor trauma and 30% (83) sustained major trauma. Sexually active women completed the Intimate Relationship Scale (IRS), a 12 item questionnaire validated as a measure of postpartum sexual function. Both trauma groups were equally likely to be sexually active. Total IRS scores did not differ between trauma groups nor did complaints of dyspareunia. However, for two items, significant differences were demonstrated: women with major trauma reported less desire to be held, touched, and stroked by their partner than women with minor trauma, and women who required perineal suturing reported lower IRS scores than women who did not require suturing.

Objective To compare the costs of a protocol of active management of labor with those of traditional labor management. Design Cost analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Methods From August 1992 to April 1996, we randomly allocated 405 women whose infants were delivered at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, to an active management of labor protocol that had substantially reduced the duration of labor or a control protocol. We calculated the average cost for each delivery, using both actual costs and charges. Results The average cost for women assigned to the active management protocol was $2,480.79 compared with an average cost of $2,528.61 for women in the control group (P = 0.55). For women whose infant was delivered by cesarean section, the average cost was $4,771.54 for active management of labor and $4,468.89 for the control protocol (P = 0.16). Spontaneous vaginal deliveries cost an average of $27.00 more for actively managed patients compared with the cost for the control protocol. Conclusions The reduced duration of labor by active management did not translate into significant cost savings. Overall, an average cost saving of only $47.91, or 2%, was achieved for labors that were actively managed. This reduction in cost was due to a decrease in the rate of cesarean sections in women whose labor was actively managed and not to a decreased duration of labor.

Introduction and hypothesis

This study seeks to determine if total vaginal length (TVL) or genital hiatus (GH) impact sexual activity and function.

Methods

Heterosexual women≥40 years were recruited from urogynecology and gynecology offices. TVL and GH were assessed using the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification exam. Women completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and were dichotomized into either normal function (FSFI total>26) or sexual dysfunction (FSFI≤26).

Results

Five hundred five women were enrolled; 333 (67%) reported sexual activity. While sexually active women had longer vaginas than women who were not active (9.1 cm±1.2 versus 8.9 cm±1.3, p=0.04), significance was explained by age differences. GH measurements did not differ (3.2 cm±1.1 versus 3.1 cm±1.1, p=0.58). In sexually active women, TVL was weakly correlated with FSFI total score, but GH was not. TVL and GH did not differ between women with normal FSFI scores and those with sexual dysfunction.

Conclusions

Vaginal size did not affect sexual activity or function.