Diagnosis and office-based treatment of urinary incontinence in adults. Part one: diagnosis and testing

Geriatric Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence (UI) is an international problem, affecting a high percentage of geriatric women. Nurses caring for geriatric women of all ages should be aware of the problem of UI and familiarize themselves with the potential treatment options for these patients. This article focuses on the prevalence, burden, clinical application, and management recommendations for the different types of UI.

Expanding our understanding of lower urinary tract symptoms and incontinence in adults with pompe disease

OBJECTIVE

To study the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and incontinence in late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) Methods: Adult LOPD patients seen at the Duke Pompe Clinic were prospectively recruited and asked to complete validated questionnaires on LUTS and incontinence as part of an IRB-approved study. Patient demographics as well as previous urologic history were reviewed.

RESULTS

35 patients with LOPD were included in the study (17 males and 18 females). The median age was 51.8 (range 18-72 years of age). Of these patients, 27/35 were receiving enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with median duration of 54 months (range 5-88 months). In the male patients, 9/17 (53%) described their stream as dribbling, weak, or intermittent, and 9/17 (53%) complained of post-void dribbling. In addition 38% of the men were unable to stop their urination midstream. In the female patients, the most common complaint was urinary incontinence, reported in 14/18 (78%). In addition, 7/18 (39%) complained of post-void dribbling, and 47% were unable to stop their urination midstream. Bowel incontinence was reported in 45% of patients. There was a significant association between urinary symptoms and lower extremity function scores and duration of ERT (p = 0.005 and p = 0.04, respectively)

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study in a large cohort of LOPD patients that demonstrates LUTS and incontinence occur at a high rate. This study emphasizes the spectrum of LOPD is beyond isolated gross motor and pulmonary involvement and has a significant effect on the lower urinary tract.

The role(s) of cytokines/chemokines in urinary bladder inflammation and dysfunction

Bladder pain syndrome (BPS)/interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by pain, pressure, or discomfort perceived to be bladder related and with at least one urinary symptom. It was recently concluded that 3.3-7.9 million women (>18 years old) in the United States exhibit BPS/IC symptoms. The impact of BPS/IC on quality of life is enormous and the economic burden is significant. Although the etiology and pathogenesis of BPS/IC are unknown, numerous theories including infection, inflammation, autoimmune disorder, toxic urinary agents, urothelial dysfunction, and neurogenic causes have been proposed. Altered visceral sensations from the urinary bladder (i.e., pain at low or moderate bladder filling) that accompany BPS/IC may be mediated by many factors including changes in the properties of peripheral bladder afferent pathways such that bladder afferent neurons respond in an exaggerated manner to normally innocuous stimuli (allodynia). The goals for this review are to describe chemokine/receptor (CXCL12/CXCR4; CCL2/CCR2) signaling and cytokine/receptor (transforming growth factor (TGF-β)/TGF-β type 1 receptor) signaling that may be valuable LUT targets for pharmacologic therapy to improve urinary bladder function and reduce somatic sensitivity associated with urinary bladder inflammation.

Diagnosis and office-based treatment of urinary incontinence in adults. Part two: treatment

Urinary incontinence is a common problem in both men and women. In this review article we address treatment of the various forms of incontinence with conservative treatments, medical therapy, devices and surgery. The US Preventive Services Task Force, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and PubMed were reviewed for articles focusing on urinary incontinence. Conservative therapy with education, fluid and food management, weight loss, timed voiding and pelvic floor physical therapy are all simple office-based treatments for incontinence. Medical therapy for incontinence currently is only available for urgency incontinence in the form of anticholinergic medication. Condom catheters, penile clamps, urethral inserts and pessaries can be helpful in specific situations. Surgical therapies vary depending on the type of incontinence, but are typically offered if conservative measures fail.