Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2020;42(8):493-500
To examine women with pelvic floor dysfunction (PFDs) and identify factors associated with sexual activity (SA) status that impacts quality of life (QoL).
We conducted a cross-sectional study that includedwomen> 18 years old who presented with at least one PFD symptom (urinary incontinence [UI] and/or pelvic organ prolapse [POP]), in outpatient clinics specializing in urogynecology and PFD in Fortaleza, state of Ceará, Brazil, using a service evaluation form and QoL questionnaires.
The analysis of 659 women with PFD included 286 SA (43.4%) women and 373 non-sexually active (NSA) (56.6%) women, with a mean age of 54.7 (±12) years old. The results revealed that age (odds ratio [OR]= 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.12) and post-menopausal status (OR= 2.28, 95% CI 1.08-4.8) were negatively associated with SA. Being married (OR= 0.43, 95% CI 0.21-0.88) was associated with SA. Pelvic organ prolapse (OR= 1.16, 95% CI 0.81-1.68) and UI (OR= 0.17, 95% CI 0.08-0.36) did not prevent SA. SF-36 Health Survey results indicated that only the domain functional capacity was significantly worse in NSA women (p= 0.012). Two King’s Health Questionnaire domains in NSA women, impact of UI (p= 0.005) and personal relationships (p< 0.001), were significantly associated factors. Data from the Prolapse Quality-of-life Questionnaire indicated that NSA women exhibited compromised QoL.
Postmenopausal status and age negatively affected SA. Being married facilitated SA. Presence of POP and UI did not affect SA. However, NSAwomen with POP exhibited compromised QoL.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2004;26(4):289-294
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032004000400004
OBJECTIVE: to study the relationship of biobehavioral factors, such as age, menarche, number of gestations, and age of first sexual intercourse, with changes in Langerhans'cells in women with negative hybrid capture for HPV. METHODS: thirty women referred due to abnormal cervical cytology or premalignant cervical lesions were studied and underwent colposcopy, guided biopsy and histopathological exams. The Langerhans' cells were identified by immunohistochemical (S100+) exams. Langerhans' cells visualized in brown color were counted using the software Cytoviewer. The nonparametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test was employed for statistical analysis. RESULTS: the number of Langerhans' cells in women who had menarche after 13 years old presented statistically significant difference (173.34 cell/mm²) compared to the group whose menarche occurred before 13 (271.41 cell/mm²). The age at the first sexual intercourse was associated with the low number of Langerhans' cells, 127.15 cell/mm² and 250.14 cell/mm², respectively, for the beginning of the sexual activity up to 17 years old and after 17 (p=0.03). Previous cauterizations of the uterine cervix have been related to a lower number of Langerhans' cells in the epithelium, with the average 120.30 cell/mm² as compared to 236.06 cell/mm² for those women who never underwent that procedure (p=0.05). Other factors such as the patient's age and the number of gestations showed no statistically significant differences in the density of Langerhans' cells. CONCLUSIONS: the present study reports the association of biobehavioral factors with decrease in the number of Langerhans' cell.