Relationship between body mass index and overactive bladder in women and correlations with urodynamic evaluation - Abstract

PURPOSE: Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common condition.

In women, studies have shown that the prevalence of OAB is positively related to increasing body mass index (BMI). Our objective was to define a relationship between BMI and OAB through correlation with urodynamic study (UDS).

METHODS: A prospective study was conducted. Ambulatory women aged 18 years or older who had symptoms of OAB for at least 3 months were enrolled. Patients answered a questionnaire, had their weight and height recorded, and underwent UDS. Patients were categorized into 3 groups as follows: group 1, BMI< 25; group 2, BMI 25 to 29.9; and group 3, BMI≥30.

RESULTS: A total of 113 patients were examined (group 1, n=32; group 2, n=40; group 3, n=41). The patients' mean ages were 50, 55, and 59 years for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P< 0.05). Group 3 showed a significant increase in the incidence of subjective mixed leakage and the number of pads used compared with groups 1 and 2. No significant differences were seen among the groups in duration of symptoms, OAB V-8 score, or the incidence of subjective urgency or stress leakage. The UDS parameters of groups 1, 2, and 3 showed no statistically significant differences for most variables. Group 3 showed a significant increase in the incidence of urge leakage by UDS compared with group 2 only.

CONCLUSIONS: Increasing BMI was age related. A BMI≥30 showed a higher incidence of subjective urinary mixed leakage and pad use. UDS showed no significant correlation between OAB and any BMI category for most UDS parameters.

Written by:
Al-Shaiji TF, Radomski SB.   Are you the author?
Department of Urology, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Reference: Int Neurourol J. 2012 Sep;16(3):126-31.
doi: 10.5213/inj.2012.16.3.126


PubMed Abstract
PMID: 23094218

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