Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
Int Urogynecol J. 2024 Sep;35(9):1777-1787. doi: 10.1007/s00192-024-05868-3. Epub 2024 Jul 13.
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.
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.
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).
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.
患有外阴阴道或生殖器疼痛的女性更常患有间质性膀胱炎/膀胱疼痛综合征（IC/BPS）和尿路感染。然而，生殖器疼痛与膀胱健康之间的关系尚不清楚。
预防下尿路症状联盟的 RISE FOR HEALTH 基于人群的研究中的女性回答了关于全球膀胱健康以及九个膀胱健康领域（持有、疗效、社会职业、身体活动、亲密、旅行、情绪、感知和自由）的问题。膀胱功能通过六个指标进行评估，包括尿频率、感觉、控尿、舒适度、排空和菌群失调（例如尿路感染）。参与者根据是否存在短暂性疼痛（例如轻微头痛、牙痛或扭伤）、非生殖器相关疼痛或任何生殖器疼痛进行分组，使用经过验证的疼痛图进行分组。使用一般线性模型比较平均调整后的分数和指标。
在 1973 名合格的女性中，250 名（12.7%）报告有生殖器疼痛，609 名（30.9%）报告只有非生殖器疼痛，1114 名（56.5%）报告无疼痛。任何生殖器疼痛的女性在所有膀胱健康量表（BHS）上的平均调整后得分较低（更差）（BHS 全球平均调整后得分 47.5；95%CI 40.8-54.1），与仅有非生殖器疼痛的女性（53.7；95%CI 47.6-59.8）和无疼痛的女性（59.3；95%CI 53.3-65.4）相比。同样，生殖器疼痛的女性调整后的总膀胱功能指数得分也较低（63.1；95%CI 58.4-67.9），而非生殖器疼痛（72.1；95%CI 67.7-76.5）和无疼痛（77.4；95%CI 73.0-81.8）。
提高对生殖器疼痛与膀胱健康之间关系的认识，应促使照顾生殖器疼痛女性的临床医生评估其膀胱健康和功能。
