Comparison study of pelvic floor muscle tension and neuropeptide level in different level of spinal cord injury

Abstract

To find more evidence for mechanism and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), we observed muscle tension and neuropeptide of pelvic floor muscle in rats after spinal cord injury (SCI). 30 SD adult female rats were randomly divided into suprasacral cord injury group (SS), spinal cord injury at or below the sacral level group (SC) and normal group; 4 weeks after transection of spinal cord, muscle tension including compliance and excitability, and neuropeptide were observed. Compliances in SC group, SS group and normal group were (16.23 +/- 4.46) g, (13.44 +/- 4.15) g and (14.46 +/- 5.61) g respectively, there were no difference among them (P > 0.05), but their excitability under best initial length were (0.35 +/- 0.19) g, (2.80 +/- 2.12) g and (7.75 +/- 2.98) g according to SC, SS and normal group, excitability under prolonged length were (2.61 +/- 0.73) g, (4.67 +/- 1.16) g, (14.86 +/- 3.79) g respectively. SC and SS group were both lower than normal group (P < 0.05), meanwhile SC group was much lower than SS group (P < 0.05); neuropeptide Y and vasoactive intestinal peptide in SS and SC group were significant lower than normal group, and these two neuropeptides in SC were much lower than SS group (P < 0.05). Muscular excitability and neuropeptide in pelvic floor muscle are decreased obviously at both below and above sacral cord injury, SCI below sacral cord makes much lower level excitability and neuropeptide. The abnormality in pelvic floor muscle after SCI should be emphasized.