Urinary, bowel symptoms explain depression in women with pelvic organ prolapse

Last Updated: 2017-11-02

By Reuters Staff

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Depression in women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is related to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and bowel dysfunction, according to new research.

"Clinicians should be mindful of whether patients with symptomatic POP have depressive symptoms and should address POP and any concomitant depressive symptoms as early as possible," Dr. Fangfang Ai of Peking Union Medical College in Beijing and colleagues conclude in their October 16 online report in Menopause.

POP, which is most common in postmenopausal women, can cause symptoms and functional difficulties that interfere with daily life, Dr. Ai and colleagues write. "The medical and social consequences of prolapse are distressing and embarrassing, and can have a profound effect on an individual's psychiatric health," they add.

The researchers looked at 177 women with symptomatic POP who sought treatment at their hospital between July 2016 and March 2017. Just under one-third had depressive symptoms, compared with a 13% to 24% general prevalence of depression among postmenopausal women documented in prior research.

In the current study, women with depressive symptoms had higher scores on the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 and the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20. After accounting for other factors, the researchers found that the only risk factors associated with depressive symptoms were distress related to LUTS and bowel dysfunction. POP stage was not associated with depressive symptoms.

"Our results suggested that participants' subjective feelings regarding the influence of prolapse on their quality of life, as well as the impact of lower urinary tract symptoms and bowel dysfunction on their quality of life, rather than their POP-Q stages were associated with depressive symptoms," the authors write.

Physicians should pay attention to physical and psychological symptoms in patients with POP, and treat both at the same time, the authors say. "Using such an approach will enable physicians to better address patients' complaints and fulfill their needs," they conclude.

Dr. Ai and colleagues are now conducting a prospective study of depression and pelvic floor symptoms in patients with POP.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2A3SL1s

Menopause 2017.