Abstract
Aims
To compare current perception thresholds (CPT) in the urethra and bladder of women with idiopathic overactive bladder to asymptomatic controls.
Methods
Women with โฅ1 urge urinary incontinence (UUI) episode per week on 7โday diary, seeking treatment for UUI underwent CPT testing using a Neurometerยฎ CPT device (Neurotron, Inc., Baltimore, MD). Testing was done in the urethra and bladder at three frequencies 2,000, 250, and 5 Hz corresponding to Aโฮฒ, Aโฮด, and C fibers, respectively. CPT values from the women with UUI were compared to CPT values from a group of control women without lower urinary tract symptoms.
Results
Fortyโeight controls without lower urinary tract symptoms and 13 women with UUI were included in the analysis. Women with UUI were significantly older (meanโยฑโSD age 62โยฑโ14 and 44โยฑโ15, Pโ<โ0.0005) and more likely to be vaginally parous (Pโ=โ0.007) than control women. Urethral CPT at 2,000, 250, and 5 Hz were significantly higher in women with UUI than controls, while bladder CPT were not different between groups. Using logistic regression, to control for age and parity, urethral CPT at 5 Hz remained significantly higher in women with UUI than controls (Pโ=โ0.013).
Conclusion
Urethral sensation is significantly higher in older women, suggesting sensory neuropathy in the lower urinary tract increases with age and may contribute to the increase in overactive bladder seen with aging. These data reinforce the role of the urethra in lower urinary tract function. Neurourol. Urodynam. 26:981โ984, 2007. ยฉ 2007 WileyโLiss, Inc.