OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the efficacy of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) combined with intravaginal Promestriene, a local steroid hormone precursor that is converted within vaginal tissues into active estrogens and androgens with minimal systemic absorption, in middle-aged and elderly women with pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) and to explore its effects on muscle strength recovery, tissue improvement, and urinary control enhancement.
METHODS:This single-center retrospective case analysis included 166 middle-aged and elderly female patients who received pelvic floor rehabilitation between January 2020 and December 2023. Based on previous treatment regimens, patients were divided into an intervention group (PFMT combined with Promestriene, n = 82) and a control group (PFMT alone, n = 84). The intervention period was 6-8 weeks, and all patients underwent follow-up assessments before the intervention, at the end of the intervention, and at 3 months post-intervention. Primary outcome measures included pelvic floor muscle strength (Oxford grading scale, electromyographic maximum voluntary contraction), muscle endurance, urinary control function (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form [ICIQ-SF] score, pad test weight), and vaginal tissue health (Vaginal Health Index [VHI] score, with higher values indicating better vaginal tissue health, pH, epithelial thickness, and tissue elasticity). Secondary outcomes included quality of life scores (Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-Short Form 7 [PFIQ-7], Female Sexual Function Index [FSFI], Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), pelvic organ support (Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification [POP-Q] measurements), and adverse events. Propensity score matching was employed for sensitivity analysis to control for confounding factors.
RESULTS:The intervention group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in pelvic floor muscle strength, muscle endurance, and electromyographic parameters compared to the control group (all P < 0.01). Regarding urinary control, the ICIQ-SF score decreased by an average of 5.4 points from baseline in the intervention group versus 3.7 points in the control group (P < 0.001), with a correspondingly greater reduction in pad test weight. Vaginal tissue health indicators showed that intravaginal Promestriene significantly improved mucosal color, lubrication, epithelial thickness, and tissue elasticity, with a greater overall improvement in VHI total score compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Quality of life across various domains also showed more pronounced enhancement, particularly in FSFI satisfaction and sleep quality. Improvements in pelvic support structures, such as POP-Q points Aa and Ba, were more marked in the intervention group. The clinical response rate (defined as a ≥ 4-point improvement in ICIQ-SF) was 68.3% in the intervention group, significantly higher than the 46.4% in the control group (P = 0.004). Results remained consistent after propensity score matching, indicating robust findings. No serious adverse events were observed.
CONCLUSION:PFMT combined with intravaginal Promestriene yields multidimensional therapeutic benefits for middle-aged and elderly women with pelvic floor dysfunction, encompassing improvements in muscle function, urinary control, vaginal tissue status, and quality of life. Intravaginal Promestriene enhances the responsiveness to pelvic floor muscle training by improving the local tissue microenvironment and hormonal status, representing a potentially valuable adjunctive intervention. This combined strategy is safe and feasible, offering a promising optimized approach for pelvic floor rehabilitation in this population.