Figure 5
From: Role of fibulin-5 insufficiency and prolapse progression on murine vaginal biomechanical function
Vaginal wall physiologic stress at the mean in vivo pressures. Circumferential stress reported as box and whisker plots (a). The box and whisker plots graphically display the median, lower and upper quartiles, and lower and upper extremes of data in the Fbln5+/+ (circle; n = 13), Fbln5+/− (triangle; n = 13), Fbln5-/- with grade 1 POP (square; n = 9), and Fbln5-/- with grade 2/3 POP (diamond; n = 9) vaginas. Fibulin-5 insufficiency and POP significantly affected (p < 0.001) circumferential stress. Circumferential stress increased in the Fbln5−/− vagina with grade 2/3 POP compared to Fbln5+/+ (p = 0.04) and Fbln5+/− (p < 0.001) vaginas. Circumferential stress decreased in the Fbln5+/− vagina compared to Fbln5+/+ (p = 0.003) and Fbln5−/− with grade 1 POP (p < 0.001). Axial stress reported as box and whisker plots for the Fbln5+/+, Fbln5+/−, and Fbln5-/- with grade 1 and 2/3 POP (b). Fibulin-5 insufficiency and POP significantly affected (p < 0.001) axial stress. Axial stress increased in the Fbln5−/− vagina with grade 2/3 POP compared to Fbln5+/+ (p = 0.03) and Fbln5+/− (p < 0.001) vaginas. Axial stress decreased in the Fbln5+/− vagina compared to Fbln5+/+ (p = 0.008) and Fbln5−/− with grade 1 POP (p = 0.003). In addition to identifying significant differences in stress, the data was separated according to POP grade: 0 (n = 26), 1 (n = 9), 2 (n = 5), 3 (n = 4). Pearson’s or nonparametric Spearman’s test evaluated the correlation between stress with POP grade. Circumferential (c) and axial (d) stresses positively correlated with POP grade. Statistical significance is denoted by *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 and ***p < 0.001.
