Evaluation of the pelvic floor muscles training in older women with urinary incontinence: a systematic review

Is there correlation between perineometry and Modified Oxford Scale in women? Systematic review with meta-analysis and grade recommendations

BACKGROUND

The International Continence Society (ICS) recommends the use of perineometry and digital palpation to assess the pelvic floor muscles (PFM). Exploring the degree of correlation between both assessment strategies will serve to improve safety for clinical practice. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on the correlation between assessment strategies.

METHODS

Observational studies were included. Bias risk assessment based on Downs and Black scale and the evidence's level were assessed using the GRADE. The random effect model measured the correlation values and were quantitatively analyzed through meta-analysis. Registration in PROSPERO database - CRD42021253775.

RESULTS

Six studies were selected. There was a high positive correlation between perineometry and MOS (r = 0.74; 95%-IC 0.61-0.83; I2: 81%, p < 0.01). Subgroup analysis was performed with 3 studies with continent women, and revealed a high positive correlation (r = 0.80; 95%-IC 0.62-0.90; I2: 90%, p < 0.01), while 2 studies with incontinent women revealed a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.64; 95%-IC 0.48-0.75; I2: 0%, p = 0.40). GRADE analysis revealed a low strength of evidence.

CONCLUSION

The high positive correlation between perineometry and MOS suggests that if the assessment strategies are applied in a standardized way, these tests can be used together or separately to assess the functionality of PFMs in clinical practice. However, the results should be interpreted with caution due to the low strength of GRADE evidence.

Modified lumbo-pelvic exercise to alleviate mild stress urinary incontinence in middle-aged females

Urinary incontinence is one of the common clinical problems of females passing middle age. Traditional pelvic floor muscle training to alleviate urinary incontinence is too dull and unpleasant. Therefore, we were motivated to purpose a modified lumbo-pelvic exercise training incorporating simplified dancing components with pelvic floor muscle training. The objective of this study was to evaluate the 16-week modified lumbo-pelvic exercise program that incorporated dance and abdominal drawing-in maneuvers. Middle-aged females were randomly assigned into the experimental (n = 13) and control (n = 11) groups. Compared to the control group, the exercise group significantly reduced body fat, visceral fat index, waistline, waist-hip ratio, perceived incontinence score, frequency of urine leakage, and pad testing index (p < 0.05). In addition, there were significant improvements in pelvic floor function, vital capacity, and muscle activity of the right rectus abdominis (p < 0.05). This indicated that the modified lumbo-pelvic exercise program can promote benefits of physical training and alleviate urinary incontinence in middle-aged females.

The development of a physical therapy service to treat urinary incontinence: Results of a RE-AIM evaluation

Background

A conservative physiotherapy service development addressed to treat urinary incontinence for older women was studied using the RE-AIM (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance) framework.

Design

We conducted a pragmatic case study design based on RE-AIM.

Settings/participants

Included women ≥ 60 years of age, with self-reported UI symptoms.

Results

A total of 34 older women were enrolled in the service with a mean age of 61.53 years. There was a significant improvement in the strength of the pelvic floor muscles, power, endurance, and fast contraction capacity after the intervention, however, it was observed a high dropout rate. Program implementation was supported by Physical Therapy teams who engaged in care coordination. The program has been maintained for over 4 years.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate that UI patients would benefit from physiotherapy treatment and that this intervention is feasible. This RE-AIM evaluation provides lessons learned and strategies for future adoption, implementation, and maintenance of a Physical Therapy pelvic service.

Promoting continence in older people

The prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) is strongly associated with increasing age. Twenty five percent of women over 80 years of age have clinically significant symptoms in population surveys, but prevalence is as high as 70% in older hospital in-patients and residents of care homes with nursing. UI substantially affects quality of life and well-being, and generates significant economic burden for health and social care. Sadly, UI is considered as taboo by society, leading to isolation, depression and reluctance to seek help. As with all aspects of care of older people, a multi-modal approach to assessment and management is needed. Key to effective management of incontinence is recognition. As a minimum, clinicians should actively ask patients about continence, especially in older adults living with frailty. Careful evaluation and establishment of any underpinning diagnosis and aetiological factors requires comprehensive, multimodal, usually multidisciplinary, assessment. A lack of awareness of the problem and what can be done about it exists in both laypeople and clinicians, this needs correcting. An interdisciplinary approach to research and management must be the way into the future.

Examining the Role of Nonsurgical Therapy in the Treatment of Geriatric Urinary Incontinence

OBJECTIVE

To examine the role of physical function impairments on the change in urinary incontinence (UI) symptoms after pelvic floor muscle training in older women.

METHODS

This is a prospective cohort study of 70 community-dwelling participants, older than age 70 years, with at least moderate incontinence symptoms. A comprehensive pelvic floor and physical function assessment was done at baseline. Individualized pelvic floor muscle training prescriptions with behavioral management strategies to reduce incontinence episodes were provided for 12 weeks. Baseline physical function was determined using the SPPB (Short Physical Performance Battery). A total score of 9 or lower out of 12 indicated impaired physical function, and scores higher than 9 indicated normal physical function. A 3-day bladder diary established daily incontinence episodes. The between-group difference in the change in number of UI episodes, from baseline to 6 weeks, was our primary outcome. Descriptive analyses compared important demographic and clinical characteristics. Longitudinal mixed model linear regression analyses determined the change in incontinence episodes and estimates of improvement based on the presence of impaired physical function and adjusted for age, race, and body mass index (BMI).

RESULTS

Participants' mean±SD age was 76.9±5.4 years, and 15.7% identified as African American, with no significant differences in age or race between groups. Participants with impaired physical function had higher mean±SD BMI (33.6±14.5 vs 27.4±5.8; P=.03) and more baseline incontinence episodes (4.5±2.9 vs 2.7±2.1 episodes per day; P=.005) than in women without functional impairment. After 6 weeks of pelvic floor exercises, the change in number of incontinence episodes per day was not different between participants with physical functional impairment compared with women with normal physical function (mean [95% CI] -1.2 [-2.0 to -0.5] vs -0.4 [-1.1 to 0.3], P=.31). Overall, after 12 weeks of pelvic floor muscle training, complete satisfaction with incontinence symptom improvement was low for both groups (41.8% with physical function impairments vs 44.8% with normal physical function; P=.90).

CONCLUSION

Behavioral therapy including pelvic floor muscle training may not significantly decrease UI symptoms to a degree that is satisfactory in women who are older than 70 years and are seeking treatment for UI, regardless of the presence of physical function impairments.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03057834.

Mechanisms of pelvic floor muscle training for managing urinary incontinence in women: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Pelvic floor muscle training is recommended as first line treatment for urinary incontinence in women based on three proposed theorized mechanisms: 'Enhanced Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength,' 'Maximized Awareness of Timing,' and 'Strengthened Core Muscles'. The purpose of this scoping review was to systematically map evidence for and against theorized mechanisms through which pelvic floor muscle training interventions work to reduce urinary incontinence in women.

METHODS

The scoping review is based upon a comprehensive search of relevant literature published from 1990 to 2020 in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ClinialTrials.gov, reference lists from review articles, and hand searches of articles by known researchers in the field. We included English-language, peer-reviewed articles on pelvic floor muscle training as an intervention for adult women if they provided empirical evidence to testing the theorized intervention mechanisms. Two independent reviewers screened articles for inclusion and extracted data to describe details of each study (author, year, country, design, sampling), measures of pelvic floor muscle strength and urinary incontinence, statistical analysis of linkage between changes in the measures, and pelvic floor muscle training regimens. Data were summarized to facilitate the integration of diverse evidence to draw conclusions on supporting or refuting the three proposed theorized mechanisms for managing urinary incontinence in women.

RESULTS

Of the 278 articles identified with the search, 13 (4.7%) met inclusion criteria. There was weak to no evidence for the mechanism of enhanced pelvic floor muscle strength, equivocal support for maximized awareness of timing, and no evidence for strengthened core muscles.

CONCLUSIONS

This review revealed extremely limited data supporting the proposed theorized mechanisms underlying pelvic floor muscle training programs to manage urinary incontinence in women. Such evidence is needed to help women and clinicians understand how, why and when a woman benefits from pelvic floor muscle training. Future studies should specifically state and report statistical analysis that relates the theorized mechanisms to the training outcomes observed.

Investigating Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength in Women of Reproductive Age and Factors Affecting It

This descriptive study was designed to investigate the pelvic floor muscle strength (PFMS) of women aged 18 to 49 years and to examine the factors that may have an effect on PFMS. The study was conducted on 258 women who visited a gynecology outpatient clinic between January 2019 and January 2020, who met the research criteria, and who agreed to participate in the study. The data were collected using the Sociodemographic Characteristics Information Form. The Modified Oxford Scale (MOS) and a perineometer were used to evaluate the PFMS of the women. The mean PFMS value measured using the perineometer was 31.56 ± 12.17 cmH₂O (moderate pressure). The PFMS values were 20.00 to 29.9 cmH₂O (weak pressure) and 30.00 to 39.9 cmH₂O (moderate pressure) in 23.6% of the women, respectively. The PFMS values measured with MOS were of grade 3 strength (moderate pressure) in 23.6% of the women and grade 2 strength (weak pressure) in 23.3%. A statistically significant strong correlation was found between the perineometer measurement and the women's MOS values. Moreover, a statistically significant difference was found between the PFMS values measured with the perineometer, MOS scores, and women's age groups, educational status, marital status, employment status, income status, persistent cough, use of nicotine, alcohol and coffee consumptions, chronic constipation, history of frequent urinary tract infections, regular exercise, body mass index, history of pregnancy, mode of delivery, use of episiotomy at birth, perineal rupture at birth, use of forceps vacuum at birth, multiple pregnancies, delivery of a baby weighing ≥4,000 g, treatment during pregnancy, hysterectomy, menopause, frequency of sexual intercourse, and pain during sexual intercourse (p < .05). We conclude that most of the women in the study had weak to moderate PFMS, that the evaluation of PFMS with the MOS positively overlapped with the perineometric measurements, and that a number of sociodemographic and obstetric variables act as risk factors that affect PFMS. The PFMS of all women should be assessed as part of their routine gynecological examinations.