Impact of pelvic floor muscle training on the quality of life in women with urinary incontinence

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) training on the quality of life (QOL) in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

METHODS

Prospective clinical trial with 36 women with a diagnosis of SUI confirmed by urodynamic study. Women with neuromuscular diseases, using hormone replacement therapy, and with prolapse stage III and IV were not included. The exercise protocol for the PFM consisted of slow contractions (tonic fibers), followed by rapid contractions (phasic fibers) practiced in the supine, sitting, and standing positions, three times a week for a period of three months. We evaluated the impact of PFM on QOL using the King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ), a voiding diary, and digital palpation to assess the function of the PFMs during the initial evaluation and after three months of treatment. The result was described as means and standard deviations. We used the Wilcoxon test for comparison of the KHQ scores for paired samples, and the significance level was set at 0.05.

RESULTS

There was a significant decrease in the mean scores of the domains assessed by the KHQ regarding the perception of health, impact of the incontinence, limitations of daily activities, physical limitations, social limitations, personal relationships, emotions, sleep/disposition, and measures of severity. In agreement with these results, significant decrease in nocturnal urinary frequency and urinary incontinence, as well as significant increase in muscle strength and endurance were observed.

CONCLUSION

PFM training resulted in significant improvement in the QOL of women with SUI.

Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of 1-(aminomethyl)-3,4-dihydro-5-hydroxy-1H-2-benzopyrans as dopamine D1 selective ligands

A series of 3-substituted 1-(aminomethyl)-3,4-dihydro-5-hydroxy-1H-2- benzopyrans were prepared as potential D1 selective antagonists. The compounds were evaluated for their affinity and selectivity for the D1 receptor as well as for their functional antagonism of D1-mediated pharmacological events. The compounds show potent D1 antagonist properties in vitro. The optimum nitrogen substitution was found to be the primary amine and the observed order of potency for substitution at the 6-position is OH greater than Br greater than H greater than OMe. Two representative compounds, the 6-methyl and 6-bromo analogues, were also evaluated in vivo for dopaminergic activity. Interestingly, both compounds behave as potent in vivo agonists.

Public health in optometric education

This paper describes the rationale for inclusion on community and public health principles and concepts in the optometric curriculum. The discussion includes the effect of external forces upon the optometric profession in the health care delivery system and the type of knowledge the optometrist must have to evaluate certain portions of the health care industry.

[1-Penicillamine,2-leucine]oxytocin. Synthesis and pharmacological and conformational studies of a potent peptide hormone inhibitor

[1-Penicillamine,2-leucine]oxytocin was synthesized by the solid-phase method of peptide synthesis and purified by partition chromatography on Sephadex G-25, followed by gel filtration. The peptide was found to be a very potent competitive inhibitor of oxytocin in the oxytocic assay with a pA2 of 7.14 and an inhibitor of oxytocin in the milk-ejecting assay. The compound showed no agonist activity in either of these assays, and its inhibitory activity at the uterus was of prolonged duration. The 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectral properties and the 13C T1 (spin-lattice) relaxation times of [Pen1,Leu2]oxytocin were determined, and the results were compared with previous studies of [Pen1]oxytocin, a related competitive inhibitor, and oxytocin, the native hormone agonist. These studies indicated that the hormone inhibitors [Pen1,Leu2]oxytocin and [Pen1]oxytocin have similar conformational and dynamic properties which are different than those of the agonist, oxytocin.