Measuring bladder sensation: A clinical and laboratory approach

Urgency, the primary symptom of overactive bladder (OAB), is thought to be central in driving all other symptoms of OAB, including frequency, nocturia, and urge urinary incontinence. Although it is defined by the International Continence Society as a sudden compelling desire to pass urine that is difficult to defer, it remains difficult to describe and measure. Several self-administered metrics have been developed to measure urgency and have been used to demonstrate the efficacy of antimuscarinic agents in the treatment of OAB. Urodynamics measures bladder sensation during cystometry, but its role in measuring urgency has not been well defined. This review discusses scales commonly used to measure urgency and the role of urodynamics in its assessment.     

Pharmacologic management of overactive bladder

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a prevalent and costly condition that can affect any age group. Typical symptoms include urinary urgency, frequency, incontinence and nocturia. OAB occurs as a result of abnormal contractions of the bladder detrusor muscle caused by the stimulation of certain muscarinic receptors. Therefore, antimuscarinic agents have long been considered the mainstay of pharmacologic treatment for OAB. Currently, there are five such agents approved for the management of OAB in the United States: oxybutynin, tolterodine, trospium, solifenacin and darifenacin. This article summarizes the efficacy, contraindications, precautions, dosing and common side effects of these agents. All available clinical trials on trospium, solifenacin and darifenacin were reviewed to determine its place in therapy.     

Efficacy of Synthetic Suburethral Slings in Female Urinary Stress Incontinence with Overactive Bladder

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of synthetic suburethral slings in female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) patients with overactive bladder (OAB). Methods: From May 2002 to April 2005, a total of 295 women with SUI underwent suburethral sling procedure. Of the 295 women, only those who were followed up for at least 12 months were included in the study, yielding 236 patients. The patients were divided into three groups: pure SUI; SUI with OAB dry; and SUI with OAB wet. Telephone questionnaires by were used to evaluate the postoperative improvement of SUI and storage symptoms. Results: There were significant differences in preoperative symptom score, quality of life (QoL) score, and preoperative voided volume among the three groups. There were no significant differences among the three groups in terms of the cure rate for the stress component (group 1, 88.6%; group 2, 86.2%; group 3, 86.7%; P = 0.943). Eighty percent of group 1 patients improved in frequency, but two patients (2.3%) complained of de novo urgency. In group 2, 81.5 and 82.7% improved in frequency and urgency, respectively, but one patient (1.7%) complained of de novo urge incontinence. In group 3, 76.9 and 84.4% improved in frequency and urge incontinence, respectively. Conclusion: Suburethral slings are simple, safe and highly effective in treating SUI with OAB.     

Management of overactive bladder

Many people are affected by urinary urgency, which can be highly bothersome. Urgency is the cornerstone symptom of overactive bladder (OAB), commonly occurring in conjunction with urinary frequency and nocturia. Once other medical causes of similar symptoms have been excluded, first-line OAB management comprises fluid intake advice and bladder training, supplemented by antimuscarinic drugs if necessary. Urodynamic confirmation of the diagnosis is required for OAB patients whose symptoms are refractory to first-line interventions. If patients are severely bothered by OAB despite optimization of medical treatment, they may proceed to invasive treatments, including neuromodulation, enterocystoplasty, detrusor myectomy, or urinary diversion. Our burgeoning understanding of the complex cellular, neural and integrative physiology of the bladder offers new insights into the causative mechanisms of OAB, and reasons why patients sometimes fail to respond to treatment. Study of sensory information pathways in the lower urinary tract has led to identification of the urothelium, afferent nerves and interstitial cells as key cellular elements in OAB. In-depth knowledge of the hierarchy of central nervous system control is lacking, but functional imaging is beginning to elucidate the challenges that lie ahead. New treatments under investigation include botulinum neurotoxin-A injection, oral β(3)-adrenergic agonists, and novel modalities for nerve stimulation. The subjective nature of urinary urgency, the lack of animal models and the multifactorial pathophysiology of OAB present significant challenges to effective clinical management.     

Urinary symptoms and incontinence in an urban community: prevalence and associated factors in older men and women

Abstract
Background : There is increasing recognition of the importance of a wide range of urinary symptoms in both men and women and that these symptoms are undertreated.
Aims : To determine the prevalence of and factors associated with urinary symptoms, including nocturia, urgency, urge and stress incontinence and, in men, urinary stream difficulties; and the prevalence of being bothered by the symptoms and ever seeking treatment for them.
Method : Household survey by computer-assisted telephone interviews of people aged 41 years and over and living in inner metropolitan Sydney.
Results : Fifty-three per cent (95% confidence interval (CI) 46–60) of men and 61% (95% CI 55–67) of women reported one or more symptoms in the previous month. In men, the most frequently reported symptoms were urgency (30%, 95% CI 24–36) and nocturia (25%, 95% CI 19–31). In women, stress incontinence (35%, 95% CI 29–41) and urgency (33%, 95% CI 27–39) were the most common symptoms reported. In men, the significant factors associated with reporting one or more symptoms, after adjustment for other variables, were age 60 years or more, no private medical insurance, obesity and fair or poor self-rated health. For women, the significant associations were age 50–59 years, age 70 years or more, no private health insurance, high psychological distress and fair or poor self-rated health.
Conclusions : Urinary symptoms are experienced by more than half of men and women aged over 40 in the central Sydney community, but many do not seek treatment. Such symptoms should be considered more broadly than the traditional focus on male 'prostatism' and female incontinence. (Intern Med J 2001; 31: 151–160)     

Urinary complaints in nondisabled elderly people with age-related white matter changes: the Leukoaraiosis And DISability (LADIS) Study

OBJECTIVES: To investigate, in a cohort of nondisabled elderly people, the association between urinary complaints and severity of age‐related white matter changes (ARWMC). DESIGN: Cross‐sectional data analysis from a longitudinal multinational study. SETTING: The Leukoaraiosis And DISability Study, assessing ARWMC as an independent predictor of the transition from functional autonomy to disability in elderly subjects. PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred thirty‐nine subjects (288 men, 351 women, mean age 74.1±5.0) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐detected ARWMC of different severity. MEASUREMENTS: ARWMC severity was graded on MRI as mild, moderate, and severe (Fazekas scale). MRI assessment also included ARWMC volumetric analysis and the count of infarcts. Urinary complaints (nocturia, urinary frequency, urgency, incontinence) were recorded based on subjects' answers to four questions. RESULTS: In comparing the three ARWMC severity groups, there was a significant difference only in prevalence of urgency, with 16% of subjects in the mild severity group, 17% in the moderate severity group, and 25% in the severe group (P=.03). Adjusting for age, sex, lacunar and nonlacunar infarcts, diabetes mellitus, and use of diuretics, severe ARWMC retained an independent effect in the association with urinary urgency (odds ratio=1.74, 95% confidence interval=1.04–2.90, severe vs mild group). Subjects with urinary urgency also had higher ARWMC volumes (25.2, vs 20.4 mm³ in those without urinary urgency; P<.001). Urgency was confirmed to be associated with the severe degree of ARWMC, irrespective of complaints of memory, gait disturbances, or history of depression. CONCLUSION: In a cohort of nondisabled elderly people, severe ARWMC were associated with urinary urgency, independent of other potential confounders and vascular lesions of the brain.     

Efficacy and Safety of Propiverine and Solifenacin for the Treatment of Female Patients with Overactive Bladder: A Crossover Study

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and tolerability of propiverine and solifenacin in female patients with overactive bladder (OAB). Methods: A prospective nonrandomized crossover study of propiverine 20 mg and solifenacin 5 mg was conducted. Female OAB patients were assigned alternately to treatment with propiverine for 8 weeks then solifenacin for 8 weeks (Group P‐S) or solifenacin for 8 weeks then propiverine for 8 weeks (Group S‐P). At baseline, 8th week and 16th week, symptoms were assessed using overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS). Results: A total of 121 patients were enrolled. Overall, 38 patients (31.4%) discontinued or dropped out and 83 patients were available for analysis (39 in Group P‐S and 44 in Group S‐P). In both groups, the total score and each score of OABSS were significantly improved after 8 weeks compared with baseline. In only Group P‐S (changing over from propiverine to solifenacin), urgency score in the 16th week was further improved significantly compared with the 8th week. The most bothersome symptom at baseline was urgency incontinence (50.6%), followed by urgency (37.3%). Even after symptom improvement, more than half of the patients were bothered by urgency or urgency incontinence. The incidence of adverse events of moderate and severe grade was higher during propiverine treatment than solifenacin (11.1% vs 2.9%, P = 0.039). Conclusion: Propiverine 20 mg and solifenacin 5 mg were effective for treating female OAB patients. Urgency was further improved after switching from propiverine to solifenacin, but not after switching from solifenacin to propiverine. Solifenacin was better tolerated than propiverine.     

Objective Evaluation of Overactive Bladder: Which Surveys Should I Use?

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common condition that affects many adults, and prevalence increases with age in both men and women. It is characterized by symptoms of urinary frequency and urgency with or without urge incontinence in the absence of another proven etiology. As a diagnosis based solely on urinary symptoms, proper evaluation of OAB often depends on the use of psychometrically validated questionnaires to assess symptom severity and degree of bother. General urinary assessment forms can evaluate many urinary symptoms while modular questionnaires can focus on the most bothersome complaints. Many questionnaires have been formulated and validated to achieve these goals. Currently, the ideal questionnaire does not exist. This review attempts to outline the range of questionnaires available to the clinician to assist in evaluating symptoms as well as degree of impact on quality of life.     

Summary of Anticholinergic Pharmacotherapy Available for Overactive Bladder

The International Continence Society definition of overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) is “urgency, with or without urge incontinence, usually with frequency and nocturia.” OAB syndrome is a very common condition, estimated to affect 12% to 22% of women and men in Europe and 16% to 17% in the United States. The muscarinic receptor antagonists are first-line pharmacotherapy in treatment of OAB. In North America, six antimuscarinic drugs are marketed for treating OAB: oxybutynin, tolterodine, fesoterodine, trospium, darifenacin, and solifenacin. In our review, we summarize the pharmacology, efficacy, and adverse events of commonly used anticholinergic agents.     

Promise of Urinary Nerve Growth Factor for Assessment of Overactive Bladder Syndrome

Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) is highly prevalent bladder disorder in men and women. About 10–15% of the population suffers from urgency frequency with or without urgency urinary incontinence. It is estimated that 50–75% of patients with OAB may have urodynamic detrusor overactivity (DO). Urodynamic study invasive and most of the OAB patients might not accept it as a routine assessment. Therefore, a more objective and non‐invasive test for diagnosis and assessing DO from OAB patients is needed. Recently, urinary nerve growth factor (NGF) has gained great interest in detecting DO in patients with OAB. Urinary NGF level was found to increase in OAB and urodynamic DO. Urinary NGF levels correlated with severity of OAB symptoms. Patients with either idiopathic or neurogenic DO may have increased urinary NGF levels. Urinary NGF levels have been shown to decrease in patients with patients with OAB and DO who have been well treated with antimuscarinics or botulinum toxin injection, but not in those with persistent OAB after treatment. Not all patients with OAB can have an elevated urinary NGF level; it may also be increased in patients with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome and other lower urinary tract diseases, suggesting urinary NGF expression could be a product of bladder inflammation and a limited specificity of urinary NGF for diagnosing DO. The source of urinary NGF has not yet been fully explored yet. Nevertheless, urinary NGF level is likely to be a promising biomarker for diagnosis of DO from OAB patients, to monitor therapeutic outcome and predict disease progression.     

Pathophysiology of refractory overactive bladder

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common condition. The International Continence Society defines OAB as a symptom complex characterized by urgency with or without urge incontinence, usually with frequency and nocturia. The first‐line treatment for OAB includes behavioral therapy, such as caffeine reduction, fluid intake modification, weight reduction, bladder training, and pelvic floor muscle training, as well as treatment with antimuscarinic or β₃‐adrenoceptor agonist medications. However, less than half of all cases achieve satisfactory outcomes following first‐line treatment. Second‐line therapy considered if satisfactory responses are not achieved after 8 to 12 weeks treatment with first‐line therapy include intradetrusor botulinum toxin injection, neuromodulation, and surgical treatment. Patients with refractory OAB may have more severe symptoms or underlying pathophysiologies that were not resolved by the initial medication. The pathophysiologies of refractory OAB include occult neurogenic bladder, undetected bladder outlet obstruction, urethral‐related OAB, urothelial dysfunction with aging, chronic bladder ischemia, chronic bladder inflammation, central sensitization, and autonomic dysfunction. This article discusses the possible pathophysiologies of refractory OAB.     

Etiology and predictors of urinary incontinence and its effect on quality of life

Aim: Urinary incontinence associated with dementia can result in medical comorbidities. We aimed to determine the prevalence of urinary incontinence and to identify the etiology and factors associated with urinary incontinence in dementia patients. Methods: Patients with an Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of more than 10, attending the memory clinic were recruited. Basic demographic data, types and duration of dementia, use of cholinesterase inhibitor and other drugs with anticholinergic effects, carer stress and presence of urinary incontinence in the previous 6 months were recorded. Urodynamic studies were carried out in those patients with urinary incontinence. Results: One hundred and forty‐four subjects with a mean age of 78 years (standard deviation 6.8) were included. Forty‐eight (33.3%) had urinary incontinence. There was no statistically significant difference between continent and incontinent groups regarding age, MMSE, duration of dementia, use of cholinesterase inhibitor and of drugs with anticholinergic effects. Presence of nocturia of more than twice per night (odds ratio [OR] 4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7, 9.2), use of walking aids (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.1, 5.9) and male sex (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.1, 5.2) were independent predictors of urinary incontinence. Urodynamic studies showed that 21 subjects had detrusor overactivity, 13 had bladder outlet obstruction, two with low compliance bladder, two with small bladder capacity, four with detrusor hyperactivity and impaired contractility. Conclusion: Urinary incontinence commonly occurs in dementia subjects. Poor mobility and presence of nocturia increase the risk of urinary incontinence. Correction of the possible reversible factors may help to reduce the prevalence of urinary incontinence in patients with dementia and reduce carer stress.     

Medical Causes of Overactive Bladder

Overactive bladder (OAB), defined as a symptom complex consisting of urgency, with or without urge incontinence, in the absence of urinary tract infection or other obvious pathology, is a diagnosis affecting millions of Americans and patients around the world and is associated with significant secondary morbidity and mortality. The economic burden and prevalence of OAB is increasing in the United States, and its underlying etiology can be attributed to multiple factors. In addition to aging, pelvic floor weakness and bladder outlet obstruction, a number of medical conditions can lead to the symptoms of overactive bladder. Recognition and proper management of associated medical conditions can lead to improved patient outcomes and decreased expenditure of healthcare resources.     

Effect of Imidafenacin before Sleeping on Nocturia

Objectives: Clinical efficacy, influence on quality of life (QOL), and safety of imidafenacin before sleeping were assessed in patients with overactive bladder (OAB) who suffered from nocturia. Methods: A total of 60 OAB patients with a mean age of 74 years (45 men and 15 women) who mainly complained of nocturia were enrolled. Imidafenacin (0.1 mg) was administered once daily before sleeping for four weeks. Then the patients were divided into two groups, “a stable‐dose group” with sufficient efficacy who remained on 0.1 mg of imidafenacin daily, and “a dose‐escalation group” with insufficient efficacy in whom the daily dose of imidafenacin was increased to 0.2 mg before sleeping. Lower urinary tract symptoms and postvoid residual volume (PVR) were examined before treatment and after 4 and 8 weeks of imidafenacin therapy. Results: In the stable‐dose group, nighttime frequency decreased significantly from 3.4 ± 1.1 to 2.3 ± 1.1 and 2.6 ± 2.0 times after four and eight weeks, respectively. In the dose‐escalation group, nighttime frequency did not change significantly (from 3.8 ± 1.5 to 3.6 ± 1.8 times) at four weeks, but decreased significantly to 2.8 ± 1.4 times at eight weeks. Daytime frequency, OAB symptom score, and IPSS‐QOL index score were significantly improved in both groups at four and/or eight weeks. There was no increase of PVR and no serious adverse events. Conclusion: Administration of imidafenacin at 0.1–0.2 mg once daily before sleeping was safe and effective for the treatment of OAB with the main symptom of nocturia.     

What Is the Impact of Overactive Bladder Symptoms on Female Sexual Function?

Overactive bladder (OAB) and urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) are prevalent disorders which negatively impact not only women’s overall quality of life but also their sexual function. OAB and UUI have been associated with decreases in female sexual satisfaction, desire, arousal, lubrication, and orgasm as well as an increase in sexual pain (Salonia et al. Eur Urol. 45:642, 2004). Successful treatment of OAB with first-, second-, and third-line treatments have been shown to improve overall quality of life and female sexual function scores.     

Role of Topical Vaginal Estrogen in the Treatment of Overactive Bladder

Overactive bladder (OAB) is one of the most common urological and medical conditions. It is gaining increasing attention perhaps due to its prevalence and the wide variety of treatment options for symptom management. While the role of topical vaginal estrogen (TVE) remains to be clearly defined with regard to OAB, TVE use does show some benefit in helping with urinary urgency and frequency.     

A profile of disordered micturition in the elderly at home

A prevalence survey of disturbed micturition in the elderly identified 7% with important degrees of disorder, 1% with lesser disorder and 1% who were catheterized. Incontinence, urgency, frequency and nocturia were the symptoms most commonly reported. Fifty-three per cent of people describing incontinence used preventive aids but one third of these continued to experience wetting of external clothing. Crude categorization of dysfunction on the basis of symptoms suggested that a component of unstable bladder was present in approximately 4% of the elderly population.     

Urgency-Free Time Interval: A Useful Metric for Overactive Bladder

Although the definition of overactive bladder (OAB) has been revised repeatedly since it was first proposed in the late-1920s, urinary urgency is always deemed the cornerstone symptom of the OAB syndrome. In this context, the treatment and outcome evaluation of urgency symptoms play an important role in research on the OAB syndrome. The present article reviews the literature covering the spectrum of normal and abnormal bladder sensation and a newly proposed conceptual parameter: the urgency-free time interval.     

Clinical Efficacy of α1‐Adrenargic Receptor Antagonist Naftopidil 75 mg/day in Patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Objectives: The clinical efficacy and safety of 75 mg/day of naftopidil, an α1‐adrenargic receptor antagonist, was assessed in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Methods: A total of 28 patients (mean age, 71.1 years; range, 46–86 years) with BPH were studied. Inclusion criteria were: (i) International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) ≥8; and (ii) quality of life (QOL) index ≥3. IPSS, QOL index, Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS), and bladder diary (urinary frequency in daytime and nighttime, frequency of urinary incontinence and urgency) were evaluated before and 4 weeks after treatment with naftopidil at 75 mg/day. Results: Total IPSS and QOL index were significantly decreased after treatment. Total OABSS tended to decrease after treatment, with significant improvements in the “urgency” parameter. From the bladder diary, urinary frequency in daytime and nighttime and frequency of urgency were significantly decreased after treatment. Total IPSS and QOL index in patients with previous treatment were significantly improved after treatment, with significant improvements in the “incomplete emptying,”“poor flow” and “nocturia” parameters of IPSS. One case with a mild adverse effect of dizziness was encountered. Conclusion: These results suggest that administration of naftopidil at 75 mg/day was safe and effective for patients with BPH, regardless of the presence of previous treatment. This study indicates the feasibility of naftopidil at 75 mg/day as a first‐line treatment for men with BPH, or a second‐line treatment in cases with symptoms of incomplete emptying, poor flow and nocturia.