Long‐term results of the pelvic floor muscle training for female urinary incontinence: An 8‐year transition tree and predictive parameters

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Aims</jats:title><jats:p>The pelvic floor muscle (PFM) training is effective in alleviating the symptoms of urinary incontinence, but there are very few reports available on its long‐term effectiveness. Therefore, 8‐year follow‐up data have been prospectively analyzed.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Materials and Methods</jats:title><jats:p>Originally 123 women with stress or mixed urinary incontinence participated in an 8‐week intensive PFM training program. The training comprised repeated muscle contractions of the pelvic floor and the timely locking of the perineum. An average of 8 years (6–10) had elapsed between the time of present assessment and the completion of the original training. Seventy‐nine women were subjected to the present analysis. Self‐reported responses of “completely cured” and “more than 50% improved” were regarded as treatment success (TS). An 8‐year transition tree and predictive parameters were analyzed.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>The success rate of the training was 39% at the 8‐year follow‐up. The transition tree demonstrated that the continence/incontinence status has been varying in 42% of the women, while it was stable in 58% throughout the follow‐up period. The 6‐year incidence and remission rates of incontinence were 34% and 18%, respectively. The higher pressure difference in the vaginal contraction strength between the baseline and strength at the end of the training is a predictive parameter of the long‐term TS.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title><jats:p>The results suggest that the 8‐year TS rate was 39% and that the altered patterns of the continence status and incidence and remission rates of incontinence were similar to those observed in the general population. Neurourol. Urodynam. 26:495–501, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.</jats:p></jats:sec>