Introduction and hypothesis: Our aim was to evaluate the impact of generalized anxiety disorders (GAD) on the effectiveness of pessary treatment for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in postmenopausal women.
Methods: One-hundred and ten women with symptomatic POP who underwent pessary treatment were enrolled in this prospective study. Subjective evaluations of pelvic floor symptoms were assessed using the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) and the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 (PFIQ-7), both at baseline and at the 3-month follow-up visit after pessary use. GAD was measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Independent samples t tests, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used to analyze data.
Results: Twenty-one patients (20.6%) had GAD at baseline. After 3 months of pessary use, PFIQ-7, PFDI-20, and GAD scores were significantly improved in all participants (P < 0.001). In the GAD-negative group, total PFIQ-7 and PFDI-20 scores, including all subscales scores, were significantly decreased from baseline to posttreatment (P < 0.05). However, in the GAD-positive group, both PFIQ-7 and PFDI-20 scores, including subscales, were also significantly decreased from baseline to posttreatment (P < 0.05), except for subscale Colorectal-Anal Impact Questionnaire (CRAIQ-7) of PFIQ-7 (P = 0.225), which represented the impact on quality of life (QoL) from bowel dysfunction.
Conclusions: Both groups of women with or without GAD showed significant improvement in QoL scores after 3 months of pessary treatment. GAD had no influence on the success of pessary treatment for POP.
Keywords: Generalized anxiety disorders; Pelvic organ prolapse; Pessary; Postmenopausal.