Investigating the Effect of Pelvic Floor Muscle Training on Urinary Symptoms in Women With Multiple Sclerosis (Ms): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis; بررسی اثر تمرینات عضلات کف لگن بر علائم ادراری در زنان مبتلا به مولتیپل اسکلروزیس ( :)Msیک مرور سیستماتیک و متاآنالیز Publisher



Emami Razavi SZE ; Azadvari M ; Hosseini M
Source: Koomesh Published:2025

Abstract

Background: Pelvic floor muscle training)PFMT(is a non-pharmacological and non-invasive method for managing lower urinary tract symptoms)LUTS(in patients with multiple sclerosis)MS(. This approach has attracted the attention of many studies due to its potential to improve urinary incontinence and patients' quality of life. Objectives: This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effect of pelvic floor muscle training)PFMT(on urinary symptoms in patients with MS. Methods: The databases PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were systematically searched from 2015 to April 2023. The search was conducted using related keywords, including Multiple Sclerosis, Pelvic Floor, and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms. Inclusion criteria consisted of clinical trials related to women with MS, and unrelated studies, such as letters, reviews, and case reports, were excluded. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA software)version 14.0(, and to assess data heterogeneity, the random effects model and I2 index were used. Results: Out of 423 identified articles, 289 remained after removing 134 duplicates. Initial screening excluded 185 articles. The full texts of 104 articles were reviewed, and 99 were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. Finally, 5 articles involving 163 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The mean age of the patients ranged from 42 to 47 years, and the quality assessment scores ranged between 7 and 9. Study quality was evaluated using the Cochrane tool. Conclusion: Pelvic floor muscle training significantly reduced urinary incontinence and urgency, but had no significant effect on nocturia and urinary frequency. Telerehabilitation can also be considered an effective and cost-efficient complementary method. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.