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Publication AbstractsUrinary Continence in Women During Centrifuge Exposure to High +GzChristian R. Benjamin, M.D., M.P.H. and Christopher M. Hearon, Ph.D.Aviat Space Environ Med 2000; 71:131-6 AbstractBackground: One earlier study and anecdotal evidence suggest a possible association between exposure to high +Gz forces and urinary incontinence in women. High +Gz could possibly contributes to the prolapse of the bladder neck, moving it into a position which decreases the leak point pressure resulting in urinary incontinence. Hypothesis: We tested the hypothesis that increased urinary incontinence is associated with high +Gz. Methods: 25 females were exposed to a high +Gz profile. Following the exposure they were asked to answer a questionnaire grading their urinary continence under high +Gz, and to provide a baseline grading of their urinary continence at +1.0 Gz and under increased abdominal stress at +1.0 Gz. Demographic data included parity and previous urogenital surgery. Graded responses were dichotomized and data was analyzed using Fischer's Exact Test for 2 × 2 tables with significance set at alpha = 0.05. Results: At high +Gz no significant association was found between reported urine incontinence and a history of urogenital surgery or parity. Only one of twenty-five subjects had any symptoms at high +Gz despite the fact that five had a predisposition. As expected, at +1.0 Gz and under increased abdominal stress at +1.0 Gz, a significant association was found between reported urine incontinence and a history of urogenital surgery, while no significant association was found for parity. Conclusions: In this simple first look there was no increase in urinary incontinence at high +Gz even among those who reported a predisposition.Keywords: military medicine, acceleration, occupational exposure, stress urinary incontinence, urinary incontinence, women, working women. Information on subscribing, and on obtaining copies of an article or of an entire issue. Table of Contents for Volume 71, Number 2 of the ASME journal.
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