The impact of pelvic floor muscle training on the myostatin concentration and severity of urinary incontinence in elderly women with stress urinary incontinence – a pilot study

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the myostatin concentration and an improvement in the severity of urinary incontinence (UI) after pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) in a group of elderly women with stress UI. METHODS: A total of 74 participants were included in the analysis: 40 participants in the experimental group (EG) and 34 participants in the control group (CG). The EG underwent PFMT, whereas no therapeutic intervention was applied to the CG. Myostatin concentration and UI severity (Revised Urinary Incontinence Scale [RUIS]) were assessed in all women before and after the treatment. RESULTS: By comparing the results before and after the treatment, we have been able to demonstrate a statistically significant decrease in myostatin concentration (P<0.0001) and an improvement in the severity of UI (RUIS) (P<0.0001) in the EG. No statistically significant differences in all measured variables were reported before and after the treatment in the CG. A lower myostatin concentration (P=0.0084) and an improvement in the severity of UI (RUIS) (P=0.0008) were observed after the treatment in the EG compared to that in the CG. CONCLUSION: Effective PFMT causes downregulation of myostatin concentration and an improvement in the severity of UI in elderly women with stress UI. Further trials on a larger EG and an assessment of long-term treatment outcomes are required.