[Autonomic nervous system alteration in multiple sclerosis patients with urinary symptoms. Clinical, urodynamic and cardiovascular study]. / Dysautonomie et troubles urinaires au cours de la sclérose en plaques. Étude clinique, urodynamique et cardiovasculaire.

OBJECTIVE: To assess symptoms related to autonomic nervous system alteration in a population of patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) and presenting with urinary symptoms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We investigated 65 patients (mean age 47.5 years) suffering from MS, and presenting with urological dysfunction by means of symptom scores, urodynamic investigation, cardiovascular autonomic function tests (orthostatic hypotension testing, Valsalva test, deep breath test, cold pressor test) and sympathetic skin responses. RESULTS: Forty-five (69%) patients suffered from overactive bladder, 48 (73%) from voiding dysfunction, 14 (21%) from urinary retention and 13 (20%) from fecal incontinence. Urodynamic investigation demonstrated overactive detrusor in 46 (70%) cases, and underactive detrusor in four (6%) cases. Twenty-five (38%) patients had dysautonomia without correlation neither with clinical or urodynamic data, nor gravity of multiple sclerosis (EDSS). CONCLUSION: In this series, the prevalence of dysautonomia was high in patients suffering from MS and presenting with urinary disorders.

[Comparison between autonomic nervous system cardiovascular tests (ANSCVT) and lacrymal and or salivary secretion tests (LSST) in overactive bladder syndrome and voiding dysfunction]. / Apport des tests sécrétoires dans la mise en évidence d'une dysrégulation végétative au cours des troubles vésicosphinctériens idiopathiques. Comparaison avec les tests cardiovasculaires de la fonction autonome.

PURPOSE: To compare autonomic nervous system cardiovascular tests (ANSCVT) and lacrymal and or salivary secretion tests (LSST). METHOD: One hundred and twenty-four patients (57 females, 67 males, mean age 45) with lower urinary tract symptoms (overactive bladder syndrome or voiding dysfunction) without neurogenic or urological causes, were included. Urodynamic was performed in all the patients with LSST (saliva flowmetry-sialometry [SFS], candy weight-loss test [CWT], Schirmer test [SchT]) and ANSCVT (ratio 30:15, orthostatic hypotension analysis, deep breath test [DBT], Valsalva maneuver [VM], cold pressor test [CPT] and hand grip test [HGT]). RESULTS: In eight cases, ANSCVT were altered (four in OAB syndrome, four in voiding dysfunction). No correlation was found between positive ANSCVT and LSST (P=0.72 for CWT, P=1 for SFS, P=0.1 for SchT). In contrary, there is a significant correlation between SchT and CWT (P=0.049), but not between SchT and SFS (P=0.69) or SFS vs CWT (P=0.06). CONCLUSION: In this series LSST were not sufficient to track down autonomic nervous system alterations and ANSCVT always necessary. Autonomic dysfunctions were infrequent in OAB syndrome and "idiopathic" voiding dysfunctions (6.5%).

[Bladder deformations in neurogenic bladder secondary to cauda equina or conus medullaris lesion]. / Signes de lutte dans les vessies neurologiques des lésions de la queue de cheval et du cône terminal.

INTRODUCTION: The bladder deformations observed in the neurogenic bladders are frequent, particularly in the "upper motor neuron" bladder type (paraplegia, multiple sclerosis). We wanted to verify the predictive factors of such damage and particularly, if the urodynamic typology intervened in their genesis by using the model of cauda equina syndrome and conus medullaris lesions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have studied retrospectively the presence of cystographic bladder deformations at patients with neurogenic bladder due to cauda equina syndrome or conus medullaris lesion according to their urodynamic status: either overactive or acontractile detrusor. RESULTS: Of 68 patients, (mean age 47.2 years), 34 had an overactive and 34 an acontractile detrusor. The presence of bladder deformations was associated with an overactive detrusor (p=0.04). However, 50% of the patients with acontractile detrusor had bladder deformations, and those deformations were associated with male sex, and this excluding urologic obstruction. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the existence of bladder deformations in the hypoactive lower motor neuron neurogenic bladder type. If the bladder deformations seem more frequent in the overactive neurogenic bladder type, their specific and repeated search is also necessary during the follow-up of the lower motor neuron neurogenic bladder type.

Sacral reflexes and urinary incontinence in women: new concepts.

OBJECTIVE: The physiology of urinary continence is complex and the respective role of active and passive mechanisms is still subject to debate. Many different sacral reflexes are involved in these processes. The present literature review focuses on the neuromuscular mechanisms, which are involved in the pathophysiology of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a systematic review of the literature in the Medline, Pascal and Embase databases by using the following keywords: reflex, perineal, sacral, urethral pressure, urethra, pelvic floor, fatigue, continence, incontinence and muscle. RESULTS: In recent years, new pathophysiological hypotheses concerning abnormal pelvic floor muscle reflex responses to stress have been discussed and included an abnormal time course of pelvic floor muscle activation during coughing. It has also been suggested that unusually rapid fatigue of the pelvic floor muscle reflex may be involved in some women. CONCLUSION: Overall, there are arguments in favour of the involvement of neuromuscular dysfunction in the pathophysiology of female SUI - particularly dysfunctional and delayed pelvic floor muscle reflex responses during coughing. It would be useful to establish whether these neuromuscular dysfunctions may be remedied by physiotherapeutic pelvic floor muscle training.

What is the place of electroneuromyographic studies in the diagnosis and management of pudendal neuralgia related to entrapment syndrome?

Entrapment of the pudendal nerve may be at the origin of chronic perineal pain. This syndrome must be diagnosed because this can result in the indication of surgical decompression of the entrapped nerve for pain relief. Electroneuromyographic (ENMG) investigation is often performed in this context, based on needle electromyography and the study of sacral reflex and pudendal nerve motor latencies. The limits of ENMG investigation, owing to various pathophysiological and technical considerations, should be known. The employed techniques do not assess directly the pathophysiological mechanisms of pain but rather correlate to structural alterations of the pudendal nerve (demyelination or axonal loss). In addition, only direct or reflex motor innervation is investigated, whereas sensory nerve conduction studies should be more sensitive to detect nerve compression. Finally, ENMG cannot differentiate entrapment from other causes of pudendal nerve lesion (stretch induced by surgical procedures, obstetrical damage, chronic constipation...). Thus, perineal ENMG has a limited sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of pudendal nerve entrapment syndrome and does not give direct information about pain mechanisms. Pudendal neuralgia related to nerve entrapment is mainly suspected on specific clinical features and perineal ENMG examination provides additional, but no definitive clues, for the diagnosis or the localization of the site of compression. In fact, the main value of ENMG is to assess objectively pudendal motor innervation when a surgical decompression is considered. Perineal ENMG might predict the outcome of surgery but is of no value for intraoperative monitoring.

[Voiding dysfunction after surgical resection of deeply infiltrating endometriosis: pathophysiology and management]. / Troubles de la vidange vésicale après rèsection chirurgicale de lésions d'endométriose profonde: physiopathologie, exploration et traitement.

Autonomic nerve (sympathic and parasympathic) damage plays a crucial role in the aetiology of bladder dysfunction that occurs after resection of deeply infiltrating endometriosis (uterosacral ligaments, colorectal bowel, rectovaginal wall). This review presents an overview of the pathophysiology and management of voiding dysfunction that occur after this kind of surgery. The rate of significant post-voiding residual volume and/or hypoactive bladder after colorectal resection for endometriosis ranges from 15 to 20%. This rate seems to be higher (up to 30%) after proximal utero-sacral ligaments resection. This is explained by the location of the inferior hypogastric plexus at the proximal portion of the utero-sacral ligaments. Urodynamics investigations show non specific hypoactive bladder and altered uroflowmetry. Concerning treatment, further controlled studies are needed to assess the hypothetical usefulness of parasympathomimetic and prokinetic agents for hypoactive bladder occurring after pelvic autonomic denervation. Neuromodulation is a successful treatment for patients with refractory lower urinary tract dysfunction. However, there is no controlled study that focused on its efficacy in voiding dysfunction after radical pelvic surgery. Overall, the main objective of the treatment is to avoid the complications of post-voiding residue (such as infection) and of abdominal pushing effort (deterioration of perineal tissues). Therefore, self catheterization should be recommended when this postoperative complication occurs. An understanding of the location of the autonomic pelvic network should help prevent iatrogenic injury through the adoption of surgical techniques, such as nerve sparing, that reduce postoperative autonomic dysfunction.

Perineal neuromuscular fatigue.

AIM: The physiology of urinary continence during stress is complex and the role of passive and active mechanisms remains unclear. Coughing leads to a contraction of urethral rhabdomyosphincter and pelvic floor muscles leading to a positive urethro-vesical gradient and continence. Neuromuscular fatigue can involve all striated muscles, including rhabdomyosphincter, peri-urethral and pelvic floor muscles. This article reviews results of studies assessing perineal muscular fatigue in urinary incontinence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review of the literature (Medline, Pascal and Embase) with use of the MESH keywords fatigue, stress, urinary incontinence, pelvic floor, urethra, urethral pressure, and muscle. RESULTS: Animal models have shown that the pelvic muscles (iliococcygeus and pubococcygeous) exhibit more neuromuscular fatigue than classical skeletal striated muscles (i.e. soleus muscle). Although the human external urethral sphincter is considered to be a highly fatigue-resistant muscle with its high proportion of slow muscle fibers, repeated coughing seems to lead to decreased urethral pressure in numerous women affected with stress urinary incontinence. In this case, "urethral fatigue" might be a possibility. CONCLUSIONS: Although few studies have focused on perineal muscular fatigue, such increased fatigue in pelvic floor muscles may play a role in the pathophysiologic features of stress urinary incontinence in women.

[Symptom and quality of life assessment in urinary disorders]. / Scores de symptômes et de qualité de vie au cours des troubles vésicosphinctériens.

OBJECTIVES: To identify all available symptom and quality of life questionnaires for men and women with urinary disorders and assess their psychometric properties. METHODS: We systematically reviewed the literature in Medline using the key words urinary disorders, urinary incontinence, bladder, score, quality of life, questionnaire, and psychometric validation. RESULTS: The first search using the terms urinary incontinence and quality of life resulted in 1018 Abstracts. Articles mentioning but not measuring quality of life were not investigated. Questionnaires were selected because their psychometric properties were tested and they assessed how much a person was bothered by urinary symptoms or quality of life specific to urinary disorders. The questionnaires were usually gender specific. Their psychometric value was far from uniform, and, for most, responsiveness was not reported. CONCLUSION: Few quality of life questionnaires are at an advanced stage of validation to be applied in clinical practice. They need to be shorter, responsive and validated in different populations to permit their easy use.

[Botulinum toxin in headache]. / Toxine botulique et céphalées.

Use of botulinum toxin in headache is a recent method. More and more studies are dedicated to this method. However, despite the large number of published studies, results are contradictory. It is actually difficult to conclude that this therapy is effective or not due to the disparity of clinical studies. Nevertheless, some results are encouraging and studies with a large number of patients have to be done. Here, we take stock about pathophysiological data on the effect of botulinum toxin on pain. Then, we'll report a review of clinical studies available on literature.

Urodynamic effect of acute transcutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation in overactive bladder.

PURPOSE: Of the various treatments proposed for urge incontinence, frequency and urgency electrostimulation has been widely tested. Different techniques have been used with the necessity of surgical implantation (S3 neuromodulation or sacral root stimulation) or without requiring surgery (perineal transcutaneous electrostimulation). Recently peripheral electrical stimulation of the posterior tibial nerve was proposed for irritative symptoms in first intention or for intractable incontinence. Clinical studies have demonstrated good results and urodynamic parameters were improved after chronic treatment. However, to our knowledge no data concerning acute stimulation and immediate cystometry modifications have been reported. We verified urodynamic changes during acute posterior tibial nerve stimulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 44 consecutive patients with urge incontinence, frequency and urgency secondary to overactive bladder were studied. There were 29 women and 15 men with a mean age +/-SD of 53.3 +/- 18.2 years. Of the patients 37 had detrusor hyperreflexia due to multiple sclerosis (13), spinal cord injury (15) or Parkinson's disease (9), and 7 had idiopathic detrusor instability. Routine cystometry at 50 ml. per minute was done to select the patients with involuntary detrusor contractions appearing before 400 ml. maximum filling volume. Repeat cystometry was performed immediately after the first study during left posterior tibial nerve stimulation using a surface self-adhesive electrode on the ankle skin behind the internal malleolus with shocks in continuous mode at 10 Hz. frequency and 200 milliseconds wide. Volume comparison was done at the first involuntary detrusor contraction and at maximum cystometric capacity. The test was considered positive if volume at the first involuntary detrusor contraction and/or at maximum cystometric capacity increased 100 ml. or 50% during stimulation in compared with standard cystometry volumes. RESULTS: Mean first involuntary detrusor contraction volume on standard cystometry was 162.9 +/- 96.4 ml. and it was 232.1 +/- 115.3 ml. during posterior tibial nerve stimulation. Mean maximum cystometric capacity on standard cystometry was 221 +/- 129.5 ml. and it was 277.4 +/- 117.9 ml. during stimulation. Posterior tibial nerve stimulation was associated with significant improvement in first involuntary detrusor contraction volume (p <0.0001) and significant improvement in maximum cystometric capacity (p <0.0001). The test was considered positive in 22 of the 44 patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest an objective acute effect of posterior tibial nerve stimulation on urodynamic parameters. Improved bladder overactivity is an encouraging argument to propose posterior tibial nerve stimulation as a noninvasive treatment modality in clinical practice.