Prevalence of urinary incontinence and other lower tract urinary symptoms in patients with uterine myomas

Abstract

To study the prevalence and risk factors of the overactive bladder, urinary incontinence and other lower tract urinary symptoms in patients with uterine myomas, female patients with established diagnosis of the uterine myomas presenting to gynecology clinic were invited to answer a self-administered questionnaire, which included questions on evidence of lower urinary tract symptoms [modified Overactive Bladder-Validated 8-question Screener (OAB-V8)]. Demographic data, relevant medical and surgical history, and pelvic ultrasound findings were reviewed from the patients charts. Statistical significance of relationship between OAB, stress incontinence and urge incontinence in relation to body mass index (BMI), uterine volume and size of dominant myoma were analyzed using 2-taild exact Fisher test and Wilcoxon test. Ninty-eight patients (28 to 81 years) completed the questionnaire over a period of 3 months. The majority were premenopausal and had detectable myomas on ultrasound. OAB was present in 47.9% women. No significant statistical relation between size and volume of the uterus and overactive bladder, urge incontinence, stress incontinence and mixed incontinence was noted. Observation of OAB subtypes with urge and stress incontinence in premenopausal patients with uterine myomas was statistically significant in comparison with premenopausal women studied (60.8% <em>vs</em> 15.3 and 63% <em>vs</em> 6.8, respectively; P<0.001). Overall prevalence of OAB was similar in both groups. Our study showed the higher prevalence of overactive bladder than in the general population, however overall OAB prevalence related to fibroids did not show statistical significance. OAB-stress incontinence and OABurge incontinence subtypes were associated with uterine myomas.