Prevalence of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Patients with Interstitial Cystitis

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction in women with interstitial cystitis (IC).

Methods: Women with IC and pelvic pain were referred to the Beaumont Women's Initiative for Pelvic Pain and Sexual Health program. A comprehensive patient history and pelvic examination were completed by a certified women's health nurse practitioner.

Results: Seventy women with a mean age of 45 years were evaluated. Of these 70 women 87% had levator pain consistent with pelvic floor dysfunction. The mean levator pain score was 4.48 out of 10. Nearly two thirds of these women (64%) had their pain for 5 years or more, whereas one quarter (24%) had their pain for 1 to 3 years. Half of the women reported irritable bowel syndrome, and more than one third (36%) reported urge urinary incontinence.

Conclusions: Women with IC may have pelvic floor dysfunction, as noted in this population in which 87% had levator pain upon examination. If pelvic floor dysfunction is diagnosed in IC patients, then therapy targeting the pelvic floor musculature may be considered as part of a multimodality approach to treating IC.