SPIROMETRIC DISORDERS IN WOMEN WITH GENITAL DESCENSUS

Background. We hypothesized that abnormalities in connective tissue, f ound in women with genital descensus, could impact their pulmonary fun ction. Method. Therefore we compared lung flows and volumes between wo men with (n=100) and without (n=100) descensus. Results. Patients exhi bited highly significant decrements in all expiratory flows, especiall y in the peak expiratory flow (-35%) and other flows at large lung vol umes. The forced vital capacity and forced expired volume at 1 second, but not their ratio, were also decreased (-16% and -17%, respectively ). These differences were exaggerated in postmenopausal subjects and i n patients with third degree of descensus, but did not depend on the p resence of stress incontinence. Lung flows and volumes did not change between follicular and luteal phase of the cycle, either in patients o r in controls. The forced vital capacity decreased with increasing yea rs past the menopausis in patients (65+/-10 ml per year), but not in c ontrols. Conclusion. In women with genital descensus deteriorations in lung ventilatory function were observed in association with the prese nce and duration of postmenopausis.