Myofascial urinary frequency syndrome is a novel syndrome of bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms associated with myofascial pelvic floor dysfunction

This study describes a novel, distinct phenotype of urinary symptoms named myofascial urinary frequency syndrome (MUFS) present in one-third of individuals presenting with urinary frequency. In addition to a characteristic symptom constellation suggestive of myofascial dysfunction, MUFS subjects exhibit persistency : a persistent feeling of needing to urinate regardless of urine volume. On examination, 97% of MUFS patients demonstrated pelvic floor hypertonicity with either global tenderness or myofascial trigger points, and 92% displayed evidence of impaired muscular relaxation, hallmarks of myofascial dysfunction. To confirm this symptom pattern was attributable to the pelvic floor musculature, we confirmed the presence of persistency in 68 patients with pelvic floor myofascial dysfunction established through comprehensive examination and electromyography and corroborated by improvement with pelvic floor myofascial release. These symptoms distinguish subjects with myofascial dysfunction from subjects with OAB, IC/BPS, and asymptomatic controls, confirming MUFS is a distinct LUTS symptom complex

A novel research definition of bladder health in women and girls: Implications for research and public health promotion

BACKGROUND:Bladder health in women and girls is poorly understood, in part, due to absence of a definition for clinical or research purposes. This article describes the process used by a National Institutes of Health funded transdisciplinary research team (The Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms [PLUS] Consortium) to develop a definition of bladder health. METHODS:The PLUS Consortium identified currently accepted lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and outlined elements of storage and emptying functions of the bladder. Consistent with the World Health Organization's definition of health, PLUS concluded that absence of LUTS was insufficient and emphasizes the bladder's ability to adapt to short-term physical, psychosocial, and environmental challenges for the final definition. Definitions for subjective experiences and objective measures of bladder dysfunction and health were drafted. An additional bioregulatory function to protect against infection, neoplasia, chemical, or biologic threats was proposed. RESULTS:PLUS proposes that bladder health be defined as: "A complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being related to bladder function and not merely the absence of LUTS. Healthy bladder function permits daily activities, adapts to short-term physical or environmental stressors, and allows optimal well-being (e.g., travel, exercise, social, occupational, or other activities)." Definitions for each element of bladder function are reported with suggested subjective and objective measures. CONCLUSIONS:PLUS used a comprehensive transdisciplinary process to develop a bladder health definition. This will inform instrument development for evaluation of bladder health promotion and prevention of LUTS in research and public health initiatives

The Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (PLUS) in girls and women: Developing a conceptual framework for a prevention research agenda

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146323/1/nau23787_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146323/2/nau23787.pd

A qualitative analysis of diagnostic testing, antibiotic selection, and quality improvement interventions for uncomplicated urinary tract infections.

BackgroundUncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) can often be diagnosed based solely on symptoms and should be treated with a short course of narrow spectrum antibiotics. However, clinicians often order urine analyses and prescribe long courses of broad spectrum antibiotics.ObjectiveThe objectives of our study are: 1) Understand how primary care providers and residents clinically approach UTIs and 2) to understand specific opportunities, based on provider type, to target future antibiotic stewardship interventions.Design and participantsWe conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews of community primary care providers (n = 15) and internal medicine residents (n = 15) in St. Louis, Missouri from 2018-2019. A 5-point Likert scale was used to evaluate participant preferences for possible interventions. Interviews were transcribed, de-identified, and coded by two independent researchers using a combination inductive and deductive approach.Key resultsSeveral common themes emerged. Both providers and residents ordered urine tests to "confirm" presence of urinary tract infections. Antibiotic prescription decisions were often based on historical practice and anecdotal experience rather than local susceptibility data or clinical practice guidelines. Community providers were more comfortable treating patients over the phone than residents and tended to prescribe longer courses of antibiotics. Both community providers and residents voiced frustrations with guidelines being difficult to easily incorporate due to length and extraneous information. Preferences for receiving and incorporating guidelines into practice varied. Both groups felt benchmarking would improve prescribing practices but had reservations about implementation. Community providers preferred pragmatic clinical decision support systems and nurse triage algorithms. Residents preferred order sets.ConclusionsSignificant opportunities exist to optimize urinary tract infection management among residents and community providers. Multifaceted interventions that include provider education, synthesis of guidelines, and pragmatic clinical decision support systems are needed to improve antibiotic prescribing and diagnostic testing; optimal interventions to improve UTI management may vary based on provider training level

Restoring Genital Hiatus to Normative Values after Apical Suspension Alone Versus with Level 3 Support Procedures

© 2019 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. The aim of the study was to evaluate postoperative genital hiatus after apical suspension procedures without a level 3 support procedure (L3SP), posterior repair, and perineorrhaphy, compared with normative-value genital hiatus of 3.4 cm. Methods This an analysis of a pre-existing retrospectively collected database that included all minimally invasive sacrocolpopexies and uterosacral ligament suspensions performed at a tertiary medical center from January 2009 to August 2015. Results We identified 1006 surgical cases: 160 (15.9%) apical suspensions with L3SPs and 846 (84.1%) without. Mean (SD) age was 59 (9) years and body mass index was 27.6 (4.7) kg/m2. Women were mainly white (97.4%) with stage III prolapse (67.8%). Those who underwent L3SPs were more likely to be premenopausal and undergo hysterectomy and USLS. Baseline genital hiatus was similar with and without L3SPs (4.8 [1.2] cm vs 4.6 [1.1] cm, P = 0.096). Postoperative genital hiatus was reduced beyond normative (3.4 cm) after apical suspension without (3.0 [0.7] cm, P \u3c 0.001) and with (2.8 [0.9] cm, P \u3c 0.001) L3SPs. Postoperative genital hiatus after L3SPs was similar to those without (2.8 [0.9] cm vs 3.0 [0.7] cm, P = 0.06). We found that change in genital hiatus was greater, by 0.7 cm, when L3SP was performed versus not performed (2.3 [1.2] cm vs 1.6 [1.1] cm, P \u3c 0.001). Conclusions Level 3 support procedures may be unnecessary to restore genital hiatus to normal at time of apical suspension procedures and should be reserved for select patients