Augmentation of urethral pressure profile by voluntary pelvic floor contraction.

The aim of the investigation was to study the repeatability of urethral pressure profile (UPP) and to quantify the influence of voluntary pelvic floor contraction on the UPP. Seventy-two patients underwent one UPP at rest and one UPP during a pelvic floor contraction. The functional urethral length (FUL) and the maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP) were recorded. To establish repeatability the UPP was repeated twice in 18 patients in rest, and in 15 patients during a contraction. We used the repeatability coefficient instead of the correlation coefficient. Forty-eight patients, had no major anatomical abnormalities (group A); 24 had grade 2 or more prolapse (group B). In both groups we found a shortening of the FUL and an increase in MUCP during a contraction. The UPP was reproducible, both at rest and during a contraction. In conclusion, we found a significant and constant increase in MUCP and a shortening of the FUL during a contraction. Unlike other studies we found the UPP to have good reproducibility. However, we used the repeatability coefficient instead of the correlation coefficient.