Changes of collagen type III in female patients with genuine stress incontinence and pelvic floor prolapse

Purpose: Objective of this study was to determine possible changes in the q uantity of type III collagen in women with genuine stress incontinence (GSI ) and with pelvic relaxation or not. Material and Methods: Ninety-four women participated in the study and they were divided in to three groups as follow: 34 patients with GSI and pelvic relaxation (group I), 32 patients with pelvic relaxation but without GSI (g roup 2) and 28 patients with neither pelvic relaxation nor GSI (group 3). A ll the women underwent a complete pre-operative urodynamic evaluation. The presence of collagen type III was determined by immunohistochemical techniq ue. The X-test was used for statistical analysis. A P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Collagen type III was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in patients with GSI and pelvic relaxation in both sites of biopsy (group 1), compared to patients in groups 2 and 3. Specimens from women without GSI (group 2 an d group 3) had a similar density of collagen type III in both sites of biop sy. Conclusion: In this study, we found that women with GSI had less collagen t ype III around the urethra regardless of the degree of pelvic relaxation. I t appears that collagen has a significant role in the maintenance of urinar y continence but the mechanism by which collagen metabolism is altered rema ins unknown. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.