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International urogynecology journal
Sep, 2024;35 (9): 1777-1787.

Genital Pain and the Spectrum of Bladder-Related Symptoms: Findings from the Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Research Consortium RISE FOR HEALTH Study, USA.

Bernard L Harlow, Gerald McGwin, Siobhan Sutcliffe, Colleen M Fitzgerald, Jerry L Lowder, Diane K Newman, Melanie Meister, Deepa R Camenga, Ann Stapleton, Vanika Chary, Emily S Lukacz
Author Information
  1. Bernard L Harlow: Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA. harlow@bu.edu. ORCID
  2. Gerald McGwin: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
  3. Siobhan Sutcliffe: Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
  4. Colleen M Fitzgerald: Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA.
  5. Jerry L Lowder: Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
  6. Diane K Newman: Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
  7. Melanie Meister: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS, USA.
  8. Deepa R Camenga: Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
  9. Ann Stapleton: Division of Allergy & Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
  10. Vanika Chary: Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
  11. Emily S Lukacz: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, UC San Diego School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
PMID: 39002046 DOI: 10.1007/s00192-024-05868-3

Abstract

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: women with vulvovaginal or genital pain more commonly experience interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) and urinary tract infections. However, the relationship between genital pain and bladder health is lacking.
METHODS: women in the Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Consortium's RISE FOR HEALTH population-based study answered questions about bladder health globally, and across nine bladder health domains of holding, efficacy, social-occupation, physical activity, intimacy, travel, emotion, perception, and freedom. Bladder function was assessed across six indices including urinary frequency, sensation, continence, comfort, emptying, and dysbiosis (e.g., urinary tract infections). Participants were grouped by no pain beyond transitory events (i.e., minor headaches, toothaches, or sprains), nongenital-related pain only, and any genital pain using a validated pain diagram. Mean adjusted scores and indices were compared using general linear modelling.
RESULTS: Of 1,973 eligible women, 250 (12.7%) reported genital pain, 609 (30.9%) reported nongenital pain only, and 1,114 (56.5%) reported no pain. women with any genital pain had lower (worse) adjusted mean scores across all bladder health scales (BHS; BHS global adjusted mean 47.5; 95% CI 40.8-54.1), compared with those with nongenital pain only (53.7; 95% CI 47.6-59.8), and no pain (59.3; 95% CI 53.3-65.4). Similarly, adjusted mean total Bladder Functional Index scores were lower for those with genital pain (63.1; 95% CI 58.4-67.9) compared with nongenital pain (72.1; 95% CI 67.7-76.5) and no pain (77.4; 95% CI 73.0-81.8).
CONCLUSIONS: Heightened awareness of the relationship between genital pain and bladder health should prompt clinicians caring for women with genital pain to assess bladder health and function.

Keywords

Bladder health Genital pain LUTS Vulvar pain

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Grants

  1. U01 DK106827/NIDDK NIH HHS
  2. U24DK106786/NIDDK NIH HHS

MeSH Term

Humans
Female
Middle Aged
Adult
Cystitis, Interstitial
Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
United States
Aged
Urinary Bladder
Pelvic Pain
Surveys and Questionnaires
Journal Article

Word Cloud

Created with Highcharts 10.0.0paingenitalhealthbladder95%CI1adjustedWomenurinaryacrossBladderscorescomparedreportednongenitalmeantractinfectionsrelationshipPreventionLowerUrinaryTractSymptomsRISEFORHEALTHfunctionindiceseusingwomenlowerBHS4755384GenitalINTRODUCTIONANDHYPOTHESIS:vulvovaginalcommonlyexperienceinterstitialcystitis/bladdersyndromeIC/BPSHoweverlackingMETHODS:Consortium'spopulation-basedstudyansweredquestionsgloballyninedomainsholdingefficacysocial-occupationphysicalactivityintimacytravelemotionperceptionfreedomassessedsixincludingfrequencysensationcontinencecomfortemptyingdysbiosisgParticipantsgroupedbeyondtransitoryeventsiminorheadachestoothachessprainsnongenital-relatedvalidateddiagramMeangenerallinearmodellingRESULTS:973eligible250127%609309%114565%worsescalesglobal408-5476-595933-65SimilarlytotalFunctionalIndex63584-67972677-7677730-81CONCLUSIONS:HeightenedawarenesspromptclinicianscaringassessPainSpectrumBladder-RelatedSymptoms:FindingsResearchConsortiumStudyUSALUTSVulvar

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