HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Heit, M. Articles by Shott, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Heit, M. Articles by Shott, S.

Is Pelvic Organ Prolapse a Cause of Pelvic or Low Back Pain?

From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, Kentucky; and Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.

Address reprint requests to: Michael Heit, MD, MSPH, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, M-18, 315 East Broadway, Suite 4002, Louisville, KY 40202; E-mail: mheit{at}louisville.edu.

OBJECTIVE: To test the null hypothesis that there is no association between pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic or low back pain.

METHODS: A total of 152 consecutive patients with pelvic organ prolapse completed a visual faces scale to quantify the amount of pelvic or low back pain present. Pelvic organ prolapse severity was graded by three techniques: 1) pelvic organ prolapse quantification staging; 2) descent of the leading edge of prolapse; and 3) dynamic cystoproctography. Linear and nonlinear associations of pelvic organ prolapse quantification staging, descent of the leading edge of prolapse, and dynamic cystoproctography findings with pelvic or low back pain were assessed. We also characterized the nature of any significant nonlinear associations.

RESULTS: Descent of the leading edge of prolapse was linearly associated with low back pain. Patients with greater descent of the leading edge of their prolapse reported less low back pain (r = -0.176, P = .034). Bladder descent during dynamic cystoproctography was nonlinearly associated with low back pain (P = .037). Neither of these associations was statistically significant after controlling for patient age and prior prolapse surgery. There were no linear or nonlinear associations between pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic pain.

CONCLUSION: Based on the data, pelvic organ prolapse is not a cause of pelvic or low back pain.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. M. Weber and H. E. Richter Pelvic Organ Prolapse Obstet. Gynecol., September 1, 2005; 106(3): 615 - 634. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Heit, C. Rosenquist, P. Culligan, C. Graham, M. Murphy, and S. Shott Predicting Treatment Choice for Patients With Pelvic Organ Prolapse Obstet. Gynecol., June 1, 2003; 101(6): 1279 - 1284. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]