Stress Urinary Incontinence and Sarcopenia in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

Stress Urinary Incontinence and Sarcopenia in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: The Intersection of Muscle Loss and Pelvic Dysfunction

The primary aim of our study is to evaluate the presence of stress urinary incontinence in postmenopausal patients with and without osteoporosis, determine its impact on quality of life, and explore its relationship with sarcopenia.

One hundred postmenopausal women, aged 50-75, who applied to the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic at Beylikdüzü State Hospital and have Dual-X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) measurements taken within the last 6 months, including both osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic patients, will be included in the study. Sociodemographic data such as age, gender, height, weight, and BMI will be recorded. DXA results, including femoral neck and L1-L4 T-scores and BMD values, will be obtained. Patients will be asked about osteoporosis treatment, presence of fecal incontinence, constipation, and medication use. Stress urinary incontinence will be determined through a questionnaire, and its impact on quality of life will be assessed using the Incontinence Quality of Life Scale. In the second phase, sarcopenia will be evaluated according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria by assessing skeletal muscle mass (via bioelectrical impedance analysis), handgrip strength, and the 5-times sit-to-stand test.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Postmenopausal women with DXA measurements performed within the last 6 months.
• Based on DXA measurements:

Femoral neck and L1-L4 T-scores of -1 and above will be included in the control group (non-osteoporotic).

Femoral neck and L1-L4 T-scores of -2.5 and below will be included in the osteoporosis group.

• Aged 50-75 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Refusal to participate in the study.
• History of neurological diseases, infections, surgeries, or trauma that could cause urinary incontinence or muscle loss.
• Presence of psychiatric disorders.
• Cognitive impairments.
• Use of medications that could affect the study results.