Hormonal replacement therapy and urinary problems as evaluated by ultrasound and color Doppler.

OBJECTIVE

To determine how hormone replacement therapy modifies bladder vascularization and urinary symptoms.

STUDY

DESIGN

Twenty-eight postmenopausal women with urinary symptoms (day-time frequency > 8; nocturia > 1; urgency and/or dysuria) were analyzed before and after 1, 3 and 6 months of hormone replacement therapy. The patients underwent transvaginal ultrasound evaluation of the pelvic organs and endometrial and bladder wall thickness. Transvaginal color Doppler analysis of blood flow impedance of the uterine and intramural bladder wall arteries was performed in all cases.

RESULTS

Hormone replacement therapy significantly increased bladder wall and endometrial thickness. This result was associated with significant improvements in uterine and bladder wall vascularization. Urinary symptoms also improved during therapy.

CONCLUSION

The study of bladder wall thickness and vascularization provides additional information regarding the beneficial effect of hormone replacement therapy on lower urinary tract symptoms in postmenopausal women.