Pelvic floor symptoms associated with COVID-19 in young women: cross sectional study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33233/fb.v24i5.5435Keywords:
COVID-19, pelvic floor, women, pelvic floor disorders, SARS-COV2Abstract
Introduction: Considering the reciprocal relationship between the pelvic floor and the respiratory diaphragm, the overload of the pelvic muscles by coughing and dyspnea, and viral action on the bladder, we can hypothesize a relationship between COVID-19 and pelvic floor dysfunctions. Objective: To investigate the frequency of urinary symptoms in women who were affected by COVID and whether these symptoms remained after the improvement of the infection and to identify whether there was a worsening of previously existing symptoms in the participants. Methods: 88 women between 18 and 60 years old, who had been infected by COVID, answered the digital questionnaire via Google Forms, which sought to identify the presence or absence of stress and urge urinary incontinence, urinary urgency, nocturia, and other symptoms of urinary tract, at 4 established times (before the pandemic, during the pandemic, during the period when I was infected with COVID and after COVID). For statistical analysis, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was performed, followed by the Wilcoxon test, considering significance at p<0.05. Results: The mean age of the 88 participants was 31.9 years, and of these 13 (14.8%) reported symptoms of stress urinary incontinence before COVID, with the frequency increasing to 22(25%) during the infection (p < 0.08) and 23(26.1%) after COVID (p < 0.06). The symptom of urge urinary incontinence was reported by 9(10.2%) of the participants before COVID and this symptom was described by 19(21.5%) during and 29(33%) after (p < 0.005). The frequency of urgency without urinary leakage increased from 14(15.9%) participants before, to 19(21.6%) during and 29(33%) after COVID (p < 0.005). The frequency of nocturia increased from 36 (40.9%) before to 50 (56.8%) during (p < 0.05), reducing to 48 (54.5%) after COVID (p = 0.07). Urinary frequency also increased from 6.02 to 7.56 (p < 0.05) considering the before and after COVID. Conclusion: There was an increase in the frequency of nocturia during the period of COVID infection and in the sense of urgency and incomplete emptying during the period of COVID infection and after COVID. The worsening among the participants was in the symptoms of urinary losses on exertion and in the feeling of urinary urgency in the period of infection by COVID and after COVID.
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