OBJECTIVE: To investigate sexual function and quality of life in adolescent and adult women with classic bladder exstrophy (BE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A two-part observational cross-sectional study with a questionnaire arm and a retrospective case review arm was performed. The study was undertaken in a centre providing a tertiary referral gynaecology and urology service. Outcomes were sexual function and quality-of-life scores. RESULTS: A total of 44 patients with BE were identified from departmental databases and included in the study, of whom 28 (64%) completed postal questionnaires. Sexual function scores and quality-of-life visual analogue scales were significantly poorer compared with normative data. CONCLUSIONS: Bladder exstrophy has a detrimental psychological impact on women. In future, methodical multidisciplinary paediatric follow-up research will help to identify predictors of better and worse adolescent and adult outcomes. Development and evaluation of cost-effective psychological interventions to target specific problems is also warranted.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate sexual function and quality of life in adolescent and adult women with classic bladder exstrophy (BE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A two-part observational cross-sectional study with a questionnaire arm and a retrospective case review arm was performed. The study was undertaken in a centre providing a tertiary referral gynaecology and urology service. Outcomes were sexual function and quality-of-life scores. RESULTS: A total of 44 patients with BE were identified from departmental databases and included in the study, of whom 28 (64%) completed postal questionnaires. Sexual function scores and quality-of-life visual analogue scales were significantly poorer compared with normative data. CONCLUSIONS: Bladder exstrophy has a detrimental psychological impact on women. In future, methodical multidisciplinary paediatric follow-up research will help to identify predictors of better and worse adolescent and adult outcomes. Development and evaluation of cost-effective psychological interventions to target specific problems is also warranted.
Authors: Jose Arnaldo Shiomi da Cruz; Bruno de Mattos; Miguel Srougi; Hiep Nguyen; Rafael Bonan; Francisco Denes; Amilcar Giron; Carlo Passerotti Journal: Cent European J Urol Date: 2016-03-24