[Role of estrogens in lower urinary tract physiology and physiopathology].

GOAL: The aim was to review the literature on estrogens and lower urinary tract.

MATERIAL: A review of literature through the PubMed library until December 31, 2012 was carried out using the following keywords: lower urinary tract, bladder, urethra, nervous central system, innervation, female, women, estrogen, estradiol, urogenital atrophy, urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, urinary tract infection.

RESULTS

On the bladder, estrogens are involved in the trophicity, vascularisation, alpha-adrenergic, cholinergic and muscarinic receptor density, detrusor contractility and inflammation. On the urethra, they impact vascularisation, contractility, urethral pulse and tone, anatomical and functional length. On the neurological control, they act on capsaicin-sensitive afferent fibres, neurological regeneration, nerve growth factor expression and viscerovisceral sensitisation.

CONCLUSION

Estrogens play a major role on the lower urinary tract physiology and physiopathology both on the urethra and the bladder.