RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN URETHRAL AND VAGINAL PRESSURES DURING PELVIC MUSCLE-CONTRACTION

Condensation is the performance of an effective pelvic muscle contract ion increases urethral and vaginal pressures and is independent of dem ographic, clinical, and urodynamic factors. Our objective was to exami ne the relationship between urethral closure pressure and vaginal pres sure during a pelvic muscle contraction in minimally trained women. Ou r secondary aim was to determine whether demographic, clinical, or uro dynamic factors predict pelvic muscle contraction performance. Two hun dred two women with urinary incontinence underwent multichannel urodyn amic evaluation, including urethral profilometry and measurement of va ginal pressure during pelvic muscle contraction. One hundred forty-fou r women were diagnosed with genuine stress incontinence, 28 with detru sor instability, and 30 with mixed incontinence. Urethral and vaginal pressures correlated significantly during pelvic muscle contraction (P less than or equal to 0.006). The ability to perform an adequate pelv ic muscle contraction was independent of subject age, parity, hormonal or hysterectomy status, clinical severity, urethral support, and uret hral profilometry measures (P greater than or equal to 0.42). We concl ude that increases in urethral pressure correlate significantly with i ncreases in vaginal pressure during pelvic muscle contraction. Women w ith urinary incontinence are able to perform effective pelvic muscle c ontractions independent of their age. clinical incontinence severity, urethral support, and urethral profilometry values. (C) 1997 Wiley-Lis s, Inc.