Urinary profile of endogenous steroids in postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence

To predict the role of estrogen in prevention of and therapy for stress urinary incontinence by comparing the urinary levels of estrogens and androgens and, to indirectly evaluate metabolism of estrogens and androgens by comparing the concentration ratios of precursor metabolites with those in controls (normal subjects).

Urine samples collected for 24 hours were obtained from postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence (n = 20) and from age-matched, postmenopausal, normal female subjects (n = 14). The urinary levels of 20 estrogens and 25 androgens were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

The urinary levels of androgens were significantly higher in patients with stress urinary incontinence than normal subjects, and the urinary levels of estrogens were somewhat higher in patients than normal subjects. However, there were no significant differences between the groups, nor were there significant differences in the metabolism of estrogens and androgens between two groups.

The urinary levels of endogenous steroids were rather higher in patients with stress urinary incontinence than in normal subjects, so it appears that estrogen should not play a significant role in prevention of and therapy for stress urinary incontinence.