Genitourinary symptoms in patients with adenomyosis

Adenomyosis causes problems in women, including dysmenorrhea and abnormally heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding; however, its etiology is unknown. We hypothesized that urinary symptoms are frequent in patients with adenomyosis and that they affect the patients' quality of life.

We conducted a pilot study from September 2011 to December 2011. Ninety-one patients with an ultrasound diagnosis of uterine adenomyosis comprised the study group (adenomyosis group). Ninety-four women with a normal-appearing uterine myometrium on ultrasound comprised the control group. Patients filled out two validated questionnaires, the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7). Patients also underwent a pelvic examination and urinary symptoms were recorded. Groups were compared using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test.

The frequency of urinary symptoms was significantly higher in the adenomyosis group than in the control group (P = 0.0001), including stress urinary incontinence, urgency, daytime frequency, urge urinary incontinence, and dyspareunia. Total UDI scores were significantly higher in the adenomyosis group than those in the control group (P < 0.0001), as were IIQ scores of questions regarding social relations (P < 0.05).

Our results suggest that urinary tract dysfunction is associated with adenomyosis and that urinary symptoms may affect patients' quality of life.