Ethnic differences in pelvic floor muscle strength and endurance in South African women

Walt, Ina van der; Bø, Kari; Hanekom, Susan; Rienhardt, G.

doi:10.1007/s00192-013-2290-9

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 35 publications

(29 reference statements)

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“…Although the in vivo axial stretch of the vaginal wall was determined in this study, there is still limited information on the mechanical loads that the vagina experiences in the body and throughout a woman's lifespan. For the protocols established herein, we leveraged values of resting in vivo pressure reported by van der Walt et al in human patients [68]; however, future experimental data are needed to quantify patient-specific values over time, the changes induced by prolapse, and the relation to animal models. Information on the in vivo configuration will be useful in future work to calculate linearized material stiffness and in vivo geometry using a nonlinear constitutive relation [69].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biaxial Mechanical Assessment of the Murine Vaginal Wall Using Extension–Inflation Testing

Robison

Conway

Desrosiers

et al. 2017

Journal of Biomechanical Engineering

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Progress toward understanding the underlying mechanisms of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is limited, in part, due to a lack of information on the biomechanical properties and microstructural composition of the vaginal wall. Compromised vaginal wall integrity is thought to contribute to pelvic floor disorders; however, normal structure-function relationships within the vaginal wall are not fully understood. In addition to the information produced from uniaxial testing, biaxial extension-inflation tests performed over a range of physiological values could provide additional insights into vaginal wall mechanical behavior (i.e., axial coupling and anisotropy), while preserving in vivo tissue geometry. Thus, we present experimental methods of assessing murine vaginal wall biaxial mechanical properties using extension-inflation protocols. Geometrically intact vaginal samples taken from 16 female C57BL/6 mice underwent pressure-diameter and force-length preconditioning and testing within a pressure-myograph device. A bilinear curve fit was applied to the local stress-stretch data to quantify the transition stress and stretch as well as the toe- and linear-region moduli. The murine vaginal wall demonstrated a nonlinear response resembling that of other soft tissues, and evaluation of bilinear curve fits suggests that the vagina exhibits pseudoelasticity, axial coupling, and anisotropy. The protocols developed herein permit quantification of biaxial tissue properties. These methods can be utilized in future studies in order to assess evolving structure-function relationships with respect to aging, the onset of prolapse, and response to potential clinical interventions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biaxial Mechanical Assessment of the Murine Vaginal Wall Using Extension–Inflation Testing

Robison

Conway

Desrosiers

et al. 2017

Journal of Biomechanical Engineering

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“…First, our study had a larger sample size and covered a wider age range compared with previous studies, in which participants tended to be younger. Additionally, ethnic differences may also be a contributing factor, given that previous literature has indicated that ethnicity can impact PFM strength 23,24 . Lastly, differences in the vaginal manometry instruments used across studies may also introduce bias into the data and contribute to differences in findings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pelvic floor muscle strength and influencing factors based on vaginal manometry among healthy women at different life stages: A multicentre cross‐sectional study

Sun,

Tian,

et al. 2024

BJOG

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ObjectiveTo assess pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength and influencing factors among healthy women at different life stages.DesignMulticentre cross‐sectional study.SettingFourteen hospitals in China.PopulationA total of 5040 healthy women allocated to the following groups (with 1680 women per group): premenopausal nulliparous, premenopausal parous and postmenopausal.MethodsThe PFM strength was evaluated by vaginal manometry. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the influencing factors for low PFM strength.Main Outcome MeasuresMaximum voluntary contraction pressure (MVCP).ResultsThe median MVCP values were 36, 35 and 35 cmH2O in premenopausal nulliparous (aged 19–51 years), premenopausal parous (aged 22–61 years), and postmenopausal (aged 40–86 years) women, respectively. In the premenopausal nulliparous group, physical work (odds ratio, OR 2.05) was the risk factor for low PFM strength, which may be related to the chronic increased abdominal pressure caused by physical work. In the premenopausal parous group, the number of vaginal deliveries (OR 1.28) and diabetes (OR 2.70) were risk factors for low PFM strength, whereas sexual intercourse (<2 times per week vs. none, OR 0.55; ≥2 times per week vs. none, OR 0.56) and PFM exercise (OR 0.50) may have protective effects. In the postmenopausal group, the number of vaginal deliveries (OR 1.32) and family history of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) (OR 1.83) were risk factors for low PFM strength.ConclusionsPhysical work, vaginal delivery, diabetes and a family history of POP are all risk factors for low PFM strength, whereas PFM exercises and sexual life can have a protective effect. The importance of these factors varies at different stages of a woman's life.

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“…At least one estrous cycle (at estrus) prior to experimentation a balloon catheter measured intravaginal pressures in 3–6 months of age female Fbln5 + / + (n = 6), Fbln5 +/− (n = 6), and Fbln5 −/− with grade 1 POP (n = 5) mice 18 , 41 , 42 . A custom polyvinyl chloride 3 mm-diameter balloon was attached to a 1.25 mm-diameter aluminum tube to construct the balloon catheter 18 .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Role of fibulin-5 insufficiency and prolapse progression on murine vaginal biomechanical function

Clark-Patterson

Roy

Desrosiers

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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The vagina plays a critical role in supporting the pelvic organs and loss of support leads to pelvic organ prolapse. It is unknown what microstructural changes influence prolapse progression nor how decreased elastic fibers contributes to vaginal remodeling and smooth muscle contractility. The objective for this study was to evaluate the effect of fibulin-5 haploinsufficiency, and deficiency with progressive prolapse on the biaxial contractile and biomechanical function of the murine vagina. Vaginas from wildtype (n = 13), haploinsufficient (n = 13), and deficient mice with grade 1 (n = 9) and grade 2 or 3 (n = 9) prolapse were explanted for biaxial contractile and biomechanical testing. Multiaxial histology (n = 3/group) evaluated elastic and collagen fiber microstructure. Western blotting quantified protein expression (n = 6/group). A one-way ANOVA or Kruskal–Wallis test evaluated statistical significance. Pearson’s or Spearman’s test determined correlations with prolapse grade. Axial contractility decreased with fibulin-5 deficiency and POP (p < 0.001), negatively correlated with prolapse grade (ρ = − 0.80; p < 0.001), and positively correlated with muscularis elastin area fraction (ρ = − 0.78; p = 0.004). Circumferential (ρ = 0.71; p < 0.001) and axial (ρ = 0.69; p < 0.001) vaginal wall stresses positively correlated with prolapse grade. These findings demonstrated that fibulin-5 deficiency and prolapse progression decreased vaginal contractility and increased vaginal wall stress. Future work is needed to better understand the processes that contribute to prolapse progression in order to guide diagnostic, preventative, and treatment strategies.

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Ethnic differences in pelvic floor muscle strength and endurance in South African women

Cited by 6 publications

References 35 publications

Biaxial Mechanical Assessment of the Murine Vaginal Wall Using Extension–Inflation Testing

Biaxial Mechanical Assessment of the Murine Vaginal Wall Using Extension–Inflation Testing

Pelvic floor muscle strength and influencing factors based on vaginal manometry among healthy women at different life stages: A multicentre cross‐sectional study

Role of fibulin-5 insufficiency and prolapse progression on murine vaginal biomechanical function

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