[Filling phase abnomalities and cystocele]

To evaluate the clinical and urodynamic characteristics of a series of women with lower urinary tract symptoms (bladder filling phase) presenting various rates of cystocele.

119 female patients were included in this study; mean age was 55.8 yr. (range 15-87). All patients underwent urogynecologic physical examination (cystocele was graded 0-3) and complete urodynamic study. Urodynamic terminology and measurements comply with the ICS (InternationaL Continence Society) standards. Statistical significance was established below 0.05. Quantitative variables were compared by the Student's t and non parametric variables by Pearson's chi-square.

The most frequently reported symptom was urinary incontinence when coughing (77/118, 65.3%), followed by urge incontinence (71 patients, 60.2%). The grade of cystocele was 0 in 31.1%, 1 in 25.2%, and 2 in 26.1%, and 3 in 17.6%. There was a statistically significant association between grade of cystocele and the symptom "vaginal bulge" (p=0.00002). The presence of cystocele did not show any statistical association with lower urinary tract symptoms of the filling phase. Mean cystomanometric bladder capacity was 224.8 ml. Involuntary contractions of the detrusor muscle appeared in 38 cases (21.9%), stress urinary incontinence in 19 (16%), mixed incontinence in 8 (6.7%) and absence of evidence of urinary incontinence in 58 (48.7%). Patients with urgency had a lower bladder capacity than patients without it (p = 0.02), as did patients with urge incontinence (p = 0.02). Nocturia (p = 0.05), urgency (p = 0.02) and urge incontinence (p = 0.01) were significantly associated to bladder capacity. The existence of involuntary contractions was statistically associated with urge incontinence (p = 0.01). Patients with involuntary contractions during the filling phase showed increased diurnal voiding frequency (p = 0.02), as well as patients without a stress urinary incontinence (p = 0.04) and cases without a stress urinary incontinence (p = 0.04). The symptom incontinence with coughing had a significant statistical association with the urodynamic diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence (p= 0.01). Bladder capacity was augmented in grade 3 cystocele (p = 0.003). The existence of cystocele was not associated with bladder hyperactivity (p = 0.65), neither was the diagnosis of a stress urinary incontinence (p = 0.37).

No relationship has been demonstrated between existence and degree of cystocele and functional lower urinary tract symptoms of the filling phase, on the one hand, and urodynamic evidence of bladder hyperactivity and incontinence on the other hand. This could have important therapeutic implications.