Knowledge and Comfort With Pessary Use: A Survey of US Obstetrics and Gynecology Residents.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine factors associated with perceived comfort with pessary management among obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) residents in the United States. METHODS: A 31-item anonymous electronic survey regarding experience with, attitudes toward, and comfort with pessary management was distributed to US OB/GYN residents in all postgraduate years (PGYs). Demographic and program-specific data on pessary education were collected. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed. Single-predictor logistic regression analysis, followed by analysis of a multivariable model that included significant single predictors, was performed to determine factors associated with residents' perception of comfort. Results were stratified for junior (PGYs 1, 2), senior (PGYs 3, 4), and chief (PGY4) residents. RESULTS: Four hundred seventy-eight completed surveys were returned and analyzed. Mean age of respondents was 29.5 (±2.56) years. Training levels were distributed evenly (PGY1, 25%; PGY2, 28%; PGY3, 25%; PGY4, 22%). Twenty-eight percent had a urogynecology fellowship in the department. Factors associated with comfort were similar for all training levels and included working with advanced practitioners, a formal urogynecology rotation, experience with pessary fitting, and receiving formal pessary-specific didactics (P < 0.001). PGY4s also benefitted from a formal urogynecology rotation. Factors that did not improve comfort were having a urogynecology fellowship and receiving general didactics on prolapse and incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: Gaining outpatient experience, especially with pessary fitting, along with formal didactics specific to pessary fitting and management may improve resident' confidence with pessary use.

Pharmacological Agents to Decrease New Episodes of Recurrent Lower Urinary Tract Infections in Postmenopausal Women. A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate and summarize pharmacological interventions evaluated in randomized clinical trials designed to prevent recurrent episodes of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in postmenopausal women. METHODS: Excerpta Medica dataBASE, Pubmed, Medline, and Cochrane Library were accessed to search for nonexperimental drugs evaluated in randomized clinical trials published in peer reviewed journals from January 1, 1970, to August 1, 2015, to reduce the number of recurrent UTIs in postmenopausal women. RESULTS: A systematic search yielded 9 articles that met eligibility criteria. Five articles involved the use of systemic or vaginal estrogen therapy and the remainder used oral antibiotics, lactobacilli, or a combination of interventions. Antibiotics were the most efficacious therapy but with a higher incidence of systemic side effects. Oral lactobacillus was noninferior to sulfamethoxazole with trimethoprim with a safer profile in 1 small study. Vaginal estrogen appeared to be inferior to continuous oral antibiotic suppression; however, use of multiple formulations of both treatment options precludes meta-analysis. Oral estrogen use did not decrease UTI recurrence and resulted in local and systemic side effects in up to nearly 30% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: This review supports the use of antibiotic suppression, vaginal estrogen, and oral lactobacillus for prevention of recurrent UTIs in postmenopausal women. However, the overall dearth of data suggests that this is an important but understudied population. Because the effectiveness and safety of available treatments are not well understood, they should be used with caution in older populations, pending further study.