RESUMO
Objectives: To assess the association of obesity with frequency of pelvic floor disorders [PFDs] and their effects on quality of life [QoL] in obese women
Design: A case-matched study
Setting: University hospital in Saudi Arabia between October 2014 and October 2015
Subjects: Seventy-five obese [BMI >30 kg/m[2]] women awaiting bariatric surgery and 91 age and parity-matched, non-obese controls were selected
Intervention: Three validated disease-specific and QoL questionnaires about PFD [PFDI-20, PFIQ- 7 and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence [ICIQ-UI]] were administered to all participants
Main outcome measures: The frequency of PFD and the effect on QoL. Data were analyzed by chi-square and t-test
Results: Overall, PFDs were frequently present in 47 [62.7%] women in the obese group compared to 30 [32.9%] in the non-obese group [odds ratio = 3.41, 95% confidence interval: 1.79 - 6.48, p <0.001]. Obese women were found to experience symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse [POP] [p <0.001], stress urinary incontinence [p = 0.003] and fecal incontinence [p = 0.011] as compared to non-obese women. Regarding the different QoL questionnaires, total mean scores of PFDI and ICIQ were statistically higher in the obese group compared with non-obese women
Conclusion: The frequency of POP, urinary incontinence,
and fecal incontinence was increased in obese women awaiting bariatric surgery. Low self-esteem and limited religious activities were the most negative impacts of these symptoms on QoL