Incontinence Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Incontinence, including details on urinary incontinence, bladder control, treatment, causes.

Patient-selected goal attainment for pessary wearers: what is the clinical relevance?

Komesu YM, Rogers RG, Rode MA, Craig EC, Schrader RM, Gallegos KA, Villareal B

University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA. ykomesu@salud.unm.edu

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether patient determined goal achievement is associated with pessary continuation. STUDY DESIGN: Patients identified goals they wished to achieve from pessary use. Patients were asked whether they continued pessary use and if goals were met 6-12 months later. Goals were divided into 8 categories. Fisher exact test was used to evaluate categorical variables, t tests for continuous variables, and regression methods to calculate odds ratios (OR). RESULTS: Eighty women enrolled in the study. Sixty-four had follow-up data. Goals commonly listed were bladder (36%), activity (20%), general health (13%), and prolapse related (11%). Thirty-four women continued and 30 discontinued pessary use. Women who continued pessary use were more likely to meet 1 or 2 goals (OR 17.5, 21.1 and 95% CI 4.8-64.4, 5.7-78.9, respectively). CONCLUSION: Patient goals are variable and subjective. However, when assessed for achievement, they are associated with pessary continuation. Women who attain self-determined goals are likely to continue pessary use.

Published 5 May 2008 in Am J Obstet Gynecol, 198(5): 577.e1-5.
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