Urinary incontinence and pelvic floor muscle activity in people with multiple sclerosis

Identification of Factors Related to Urinary Incontinence in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis and Electromyographic Assessment of Pelvic Floor Muscle Activity: A Cross-Sectional Study

Observational Artvin Coruh University · NCT07236684

This research will try to see if pelvic floor muscle activity measured by EMG is linked to how severe urinary incontinence is in people with multiple sclerosis.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment47 (estimated)
Ages30 Years to 50 Years
SexFemale
SponsorArtvin Coruh University Academic / other
Locations1 site (Istanbul)
Trial IDNCT07236684 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is a cross-sectional observational analysis of 47 people with multiple sclerosis who report urinary incontinence. Participants will undergo pelvic floor electromyography (EMG) and complete clinical and patient-reported measures including EDSS, NBSS, ICIQ-SF, IIQ-7, IPAQ, and FSS. The investigators will compare EMG findings with incontinence severity and explore relationships with disability, fatigue, physical activity, and quality-of-life impact. Patients with recent attacks, recent medication changes, pregnancy, recent deliveries, pelvic organ prolapse, or urinary tract infection are excluded to reduce confounding.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults with multiple sclerosis by the 2017 McDonald criteria who have symptoms of urinary incontinence, EDSS below 6.5, can communicate, and meet the other eligibility rules are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People with recent MS attacks, recent medication changes, pregnancy, recent vaginal or cesarean delivery, pelvic organ prolapse, urinary tract infection, or EDSS ≥6.5 would not be eligible and are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify pelvic floor dysfunction patterns tied to incontinence in MS and guide more targeted pelvic floor therapies.

How similar studies have performed: Previous work has used EMG to describe pelvic floor dysfunction in MS, but direct correlations between specific EMG patterns and incontinence severity are limited, so this study builds on partial prior evidence.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* having an MS diagnosis according to the 2017 revised McDonald criteria,
* experiencing symptoms of UI as defined by the International Continence Society (ICS),
* having an EDSS score below 6.5,
* PwMS with no communication issues.

Exclusion Criteria:

* PwMS who did not give consent to participate,
* those with medication changes in the past 6 months,
* pregnant PwMS,
* recent vaginal or caesarean deliveries within 6 months,
* pelvic organ prolapse,
* urinary tract infection,
* recent attack history in the past month.

Where this trial is running

Istanbul

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Multiple Sclerosismultiple sclerosiselectromyographyurinary incontinencepelvic floorfatigue
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.