OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction in women with interstitial cystitis (IC). METHODS: Women with IC and pelvic pain were referred to the Beaumont Women's Initiative for Pelvic Pain and Sexual Health program. A comprehensive patient history and pelvic examination were completed by a certified women's health nurse practitioner. RESULTS: Seventy women with a mean age of 45 years were evaluated. Of these 70 women 87% had levator pain consistent with pelvic floor dysfunction. The mean levator pain score was 4.48 out of 10. Nearly two thirds of these women (64%) had their pain for 5 years or more, whereas one quarter (24%) had their pain for 1 to 3 years. Half of the women reported irritable bowel syndrome, and more than one third (36%) reported urge urinary incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: Women with IC may have pelvic floor dysfunction, as noted in this population in which 87% had levator pain upon examination. If pelvic floor dysfunction is diagnosed in IC patients, then therapy targeting the pelvic floor musculature may be considered as part of a multimodality approach to treating IC.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction in women with interstitial cystitis (IC). METHODS:Women with IC and pelvic pain were referred to the Beaumont Women's Initiative for Pelvic Pain and Sexual Health program. A comprehensive patient history and pelvic examination were completed by a certified women's health nurse practitioner. RESULTS: Seventy women with a mean age of 45 years were evaluated. Of these 70 women 87% had levator pain consistent with pelvic floor dysfunction. The mean levator pain score was 4.48 out of 10. Nearly two thirds of these women (64%) had their pain for 5 years or more, whereas one quarter (24%) had their pain for 1 to 3 years. Half of the women reported irritable bowel syndrome, and more than one third (36%) reported urge urinary incontinence. CONCLUSIONS:Women with IC may have pelvic floor dysfunction, as noted in this population in which 87% had levator pain upon examination. If pelvic floor dysfunction is diagnosed in IC patients, then therapy targeting the pelvic floor musculature may be considered as part of a multimodality approach to treating IC.
Authors: Lisa A Kilpatrick; Jason J Kutch; Kirsten Tillisch; Bruce D Naliboff; Jennifer S Labus; Zhiguo Jiang; Melissa A Farmer; A Vania Apkarian; Sean Mackey; Katherine T Martucci; Daniel J Clauw; Richard E Harris; Georg Deutsch; Timothy J Ness; Claire C Yang; Kenneth Maravilla; Chris Mullins; Emeran A Mayer Journal: J Urol Date: 2014-03-26 Impact factor: 7.450