Previous investigations indicated a higher prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) in diabetic patients compared to healthy individuals, with growing evidence supporting this association. The present study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the pooled prevalence and potential risk factors of OAB in diabetic patients.
A systematic search was conducted across PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, and Web of Science. We reported the overall and subgroup prevalence of OAB in diabetic patients, including 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Fixed-effect or random-effect models were employed to synthesize the odds ratios (ORs) and derive an overall OR for analyzing relevant risk factors, including age, diabetes duration, HbA1c level, neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy, sex, BMI, hypertension, and stroke history. Meta-regression was used to investigate sources of heterogeneity.
The pooled prevalence of OAB among patients with diabetes was 30.3% (95% CI: 21.3%-39.3%). Patients with diabetes had significantly higher odds of OAB compared to healthy controls (OR = 3.566, 95% CI: 2.639-4.819, p < 0.05). Age (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02-1.05, p < 0.05), diabetes duration (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.17-2.10, p < 0.05), hypertension (OR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.09-2.55, p < 0.05), and neuropathy (OR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.94-3.00, p < 0.05) were identified as significant risk factors for OAB in diabetic patients.
This systematic review and meta-analysis indicated a high prevalence of OAB among diabetic patients. In addition, we found that age, diabetes duration, hypertension, and neuropathy were significant risk factors for OAB among patients with diabetes. These findings are crucial for public health, guiding effective interventions to mitigate OAB risk in diabetic patients.
Neurourology and urodynamics. 2026 Jan 11 [Epub ahead of print]
Xiaolong Zhang, Zhirong Zhu, Guiliang Tang, Huali Xu, Feng Shao
Department of Urology, Shaoxing People's Hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital, Shaoxing University), Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China.