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Do variations in labial anatomy have an effect on recurrent urinary tract infection?

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Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

Variations in labial anatomy may constitute a risk factor for vaginal pH increase and recurrent UTIs. Our objective in this study was to show the effects of variations in labial anatomy on vaginal pH and recurrent UTI.

Methods

A total of 331 non-menopausal and sexually active patients between the ages of 18 and 50, meeting recurrent urinary infection criteria and not meeting exclusion criteria were included in the study in group 1, the infection group, and 440 patients without recurrent UTI were included in group 2, the control group. Vaginal pH values of the participants were measured. Labia minora were classified as labial anatomy based on the Banwell classification. Predisposing factors and demographic data were also questioned, measured, recorded, and compared.

Results

A significant difference was detected in labial anatomy between groups 1 and 2 based on the Banwell classification. Banwell type 3 in group 1 (76%) and Banwell type 2 in group 2 (55%) were observed to be significantly higher. There was a significant difference in right and left vertical and horizontal dimensions of the labia minora between the two groups. It was also observed that the vaginal pH was significantly more alkaline in group 1 compared with group 2 (6.11 vs 4.48).

Conclusion

Although there are many causes of recurrent urinary tract infections, this study showed that vaginal pH imbalance and labia minora anatomy in the lower third prominence based on the Banwell classification (type 3) were among the most important causes. Thus, we think that the vaginal anatomy should be evaluated in recurrent UTI patients.

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Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, NEÜ Meram Medicine Faculty, Konya, Turkey

    Arif Aydın, Mehmet Giray Sönmez & Mehmet Balasar

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, İstanbul Medipol University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey

    Adeviye Elçi Atılgan

  3. Department of Physiology, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey

    Leyla Sönmez

  4. Beyhekim State Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Konya, Turkey

    Leyla Sönmez

  5. Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey

    Mehmet Salih Boğa

Authors
  1. Arif Aydın
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  2. Adeviye Elçi Atılgan
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  3. Mehmet Giray Sönmez
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  4. Leyla Sönmez
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  5. Mehmet Salih Boğa
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  6. Mehmet Balasar
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Contributions

A. Aydin: project development, manuscript writing, data management; A.E. Atilgan: data management and collection; M.G. Sonmez: data analysis, manuscript editing; L. Sonmez: manuscript editing and figure drawing; M.S. Boga: data analysis; M. Balasar: manuscript editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Arif Aydın.

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None of the authors involved in this study received financial support.

Ethics committee

The authors declared that the research was conducted according to the principles of the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki “Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects” (amended in October 2013). The study was performed with the approval of the Clinical Ethics Committee of Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medicine Faculty (no: 2019/1954).

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Aydın, A., Atılgan, A.E., Sönmez, M.G. et al. Do variations in labial anatomy have an effect on recurrent urinary tract infection?. Int Urogynecol J 31, 2129–2136 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-020-04310-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-020-04310-8

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