Urinary incontinence

Background

  • Defined as the involuntary leakage of urine
  • Estimated prevalence of ~40% of women and ~21% of men older than 65 years of age[1][2]
  • Can have profound impact on quality of life, sexual dysfunction, and morbidity (e.g., perineal infections, falls)

Clinical Features

  • Three main classifications of incontinence: Stress, Urgency, Overflow
    • Stress: Involuntary leakage of urine that occurs with increases in intraabdominal pressure[3]
    • Urgency: Leakage accompanied by or immediately preceded by urgency[4]
    • Overflow: Continuous leakage or dribbling in the setting of incomplete bladder emptying
  • Mixed urinary incontinence: Symptoms of both stress and urgency

Differential Diagnosis

Transient incontinence

Established incontinence

Evaluation

Workup

Diagnosis

  • Clinical tests
    • Bladder stress test
      • PPV is ~78-97% for stress or mixed urinary incontinence[5]
    • Post-void residual:
      • >150cc or >1/3 total voided volume should be evaluated for voiding dysfunction

Management

Disposition

  • Discharge with PMD follow-up
  • Will rarely require specialist referral

See Also

External Links

References

  1. Minassian VA, Yan X, Lichtenfeld MJ, Sun H, Stewart WF. The iceberg of health care utilization in women with urinary incontinence. Int Urogynecol J. 2012 Aug;23(8):1087-93. doi: 10.1007/s00192-012-1743-x. Epub 2012 Apr 12. PMID: 22527544; PMCID: PMC3905313.
  2. Shamliyan TA, Wyman JF, Ping R, Wilt TJ, Kane RL. Male urinary incontinence: prevalence, risk factors, and preventive interventions. Rev Urol. 2009 Summer;11(3):145-65. PMID: 19918340; PMCID: PMC2777062.
  3. Abrams P, Andersson KE, Birder L, Brubaker L, Cardozo L, Chapple C, Cottenden A, Davila W, de Ridder D, Dmochowski R, Drake M, Dubeau C, Fry C, Hanno P, Smith JH, Herschorn S, Hosker G, Kelleher C, Koelbl H, Khoury S, Madoff R, Milsom I, Moore K, Newman D, Nitti V, Norton C, Nygaard I, Payne C, Smith A, Staskin D, Tekgul S, Thuroff J, Tubaro A, Vodusek D, Wein A, Wyndaele JJ; Members of Committees; Fourth International Consultation on Incontinence. Fourth International Consultation on Incontinence Recommendations of the International Scientific Committee: Evaluation and treatment of urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and fecal incontinence. Neurourol Urodyn. 2010;29(1):213-40. doi: 10.1002/nau.20870. PMID: 20025020.
  4. Abrams P, Andersson KE, Birder L, Brubaker L, Cardozo L, Chapple C, Cottenden A, Davila W, de Ridder D, Dmochowski R, Drake M, Dubeau C, Fry C, Hanno P, Smith JH, Herschorn S, Hosker G, Kelleher C, Koelbl H, Khoury S, Madoff R, Milsom I, Moore K, Newman D, Nitti V, Norton C, Nygaard I, Payne C, Smith A, Staskin D, Tekgul S, Thuroff J, Tubaro A, Vodusek D, Wein A, Wyndaele JJ; Members of Committees; Fourth International Consultation on Incontinence. Fourth International Consultation on Incontinence Recommendations of the International Scientific Committee: Evaluation and treatment of urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and fecal incontinence. Neurourol Urodyn. 2010;29(1):213-40. doi: 10.1002/nau.20870. PMID: 20025020.
  5. Harvey MA, Versi E. Predictive value of clinical evaluation of stress urinary incontinence: a summary of the published literature. Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct. 2001;12(1):31-7. doi: 10.1007/s001920170091. PMID: 11294529.