Pelvic muscle exercise effect on pelvic muscle performance in women.

The aim of this study was to compare pelvic muscle (PM) characteristics (strength, endurance and contractability) before and after 12 weeks of pelvic muscle exercises in two groups of older women: the first composed of women with genuine stress incontinence, and the second made up of women with no symptoms of urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse. This research also investigated the extent to which PM pressure and health-related characteristics could help discriminate between women with and without a clinical sign of PM dysfunction. Within a framework of skeletal muscle fitness, outcome measures were defined and compared. There was no significant difference in the baseline (P = 0.09) and post-PME (P = 0.63) strength, endurance and contractability of the two groups of women. The two groups did differ significantly on change scores (P = 0.05) following PME. A greater improvement in strength for women without a clinical sign of dysfunction was demonstrated. There was a probability of 91% that those with a history of gynecological surgery belonged to the group of women with SUI.

Using a relational database to support nursing research.

Designing, implementing, and maintaining a relational database for a complex, longitudinal clinical research project can be the key to the success of a research project. Related issues of data entry, accuracy, confidentiality, security, data analysis, and evaluation of research activities are among the considerations that must be addressed. Our experience with designing a system that was effective and user-friendly to manage the data collected during a 6-year, National Institutes of Health-funded, nursing research project is highlighted. Nurses and other healthcare providers may find our experience with a relational database helpful and applicable to similar clinical research projects.

Dietary caffeine, fluid intake and urinary incontinence in older rural women.

Forty-one women completed the first phase (self-monitoring) of the Behavioral Management for Continence (BMC) intervention, while working with a nurse during home visits to reduce involuntary urine loss as part of the parent study involving older, rural women living at home. A decrease in dietary caffeine intake and an increase in fluid intake were most frequently recommended. The relationship between a decrease in the amount of dietary caffeine consumed and fewer daytime episodes of involuntary urine loss approached significance -P = 0.0744- whereas an increase in the average amount of fluid intake was significantly related to an increase in the average volume of urine voided -P = 0.0479- and not to involuntary urine loss.