Does Pons Plaque Affect Urination and Urodynamic Functions in Multiple Sclerosis?

• Published in: Türk Nöroloji Dergisi
• Main Authors: Ural Hamurcu, Nalan Soyder Kuş, Yaşar Zorlu, Ferruh Zorlu, Oğuz Mertoğlu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Galenos Yayinevi 2006-08-01
• Subjects: multiple sclerosis; urodynamic function; pons; urologic symptoms
• Online Access: https://www.journalagent.com/tjn/pdfs/TJN_12_4_279_283.pdf
• ISSN: 1301-062X; 1309-2545

OBJECTIVE: More than %80 of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients are observed to have urinary system dysfunctions during the course of their ilnesses. Neuronal control of the bladder is highly complicated. Autonomic and somatic nerve systems have to function in coordination. It is known that bladder functions are controlled by medial frontal lobe in the cerebral hemispheres and by pontine reticular formation in the brainstem. A i m: In MS, the relationship between the localization of the plaque and bladder dysfunction is not clear. The aim of this study was to identify the effects of the plaque in pons on the clinical and urodynamic findings by comparing the patients having periventricular and pontine plaques and the ones having only periventricular plaque METHODS: Between May 2001 to June 2003,25 MS patients of whom 15 were females and 10 males studied. The mean age of the patients was 44, while the mean disease duration was 57.2 month. Mean EDSS was 1.82(0-3). The patients were divied into two groupes. Group I (12 cases) consisted of those having periventricular and pons plaque, whereas Group II (13 cases) consisted of those having only periventricular plaque. All patients who had spinal cord plaque excluded. Urodynamic evaluation were done. RESULTS: Comparing the plaque localization and the urodynamic results did not reveal any statistical difference between the groups (p=0.841). The symptoms observed in the groups were studied with respect to their relation with the urdynamic findings. All the symptomatic cases in Group I and half of the symptomatic cases in Group II had abnormal urodynamic findings. Among the asymptomatic cases, %71.4 of Group I and %40 of Group II had normal urodynamic findings. CONCLUSION: As a result, existance of pontine plaque in those having periventricular plaque does not affect the urologic symptoms and urodynamic functions