Idiopathic overactive bladder (OAB) is a prevalent, mystifying disorder with a questionable neurogenic background. We aimed to investigate the possible subtle neuropathic affection underlying its pathogenesis.
A cross-sectional cut off study was carried out on a series of 38 females with idiopathic OAB and 22 healthy matched female volunteers. The following was performed: symptom score questionnaire, determination of pudendal nerve terminal motor latency (PNTML), sacral reflexes' latencies, pudendal somatosensory evoked potentials, and needle electromyography of the external anal and urethral sphincters.
A highly significant prolongation of PNTMLs and sacral reflexes latencies among the patients group was detected (P ≥ 0.001). Pudendal somatosensory evoked potentials showed non- significance among the two studied groups (P ≥ 0.05). External anal sphincter neuropathic affection was detected in 27 patients (71%) and external urethral sphincter neuropathic affection was detected in 30 patients (78.9%). The clitoral anal reflex showed the highest sensitivity and specificity among the neurophysiologic tests used in assessing the neuropathic affection (86.7 and 83%, respectively), followed by PNTML (83.3 and 80%, respectively).
Pudendal neuropathy is the dominating possible attributing factor in the pathogenesis underlying idiopathic OAB. An integrated clinical, urodynamic, and electro-physiological assessment is recommended for evaluation of any overactive bladder patients.
Neurourology and urodynamics. 2018 Oct 12 [Epub ahead of print]
Rowaida H Ali, Naglaa A Gadallah, Abeer K El Zohiery, Mohamed Elwy, Ihab Serag
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt., Faculty of Medicine, Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.