An evaluation of bladder emptying methods and the effect of demographic and clinical factors on spontaneous voiding frequency in stroke patients.

In this study, the bladder emptying methods at different stages of the post-stroke period along with the effects of demographic and clinical parameters on spontaneous voiding frequency were investigated. The frequencies of bladder emptying methods at admission to the rehabilitation clinic, after neurourological and urodynamic assessment and at home after discharge were spontaneous voiding (SV) 51/99 (51.5 %), 62/99 (62.6 %), 73/99 (73.7 %), emptying without a urinary catheter + an external collector system (EWUC + ECS) 24/99 (24.2 %), 18/99 (18.2 %), 17/99 (17.2 %), intermittent catheterization (IC) 1/99 (1.0 %), 15/99 (15.2 %), 6/99 (6.1 %), indwelling urethral catheter (IUC) 23/99 (23.2 %), 4/99 (4.0 %) and 3/99 (3.0 %), respectively. Lower spontaneous voiding frequencies were observed in single-divorced and geriatric individuals (p < 0.05). The number of patients who modified the method at home was 2/62 for SV, 5/18 for EWUC + ECS, 9/15 for IC, and 2/4 for IUC. The majority of stroke patients were able to void spontaneously and the spontaneous voiding frequency increased at follow-up. The spontaneous voiding frequency was low in geriatric and single-divorced subgroups. The method in which the most changes occurred was IC.

Overactive bladder symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis: Frequency, severity, diagnosis and treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and severity as well as the diagnosis and treatment of overactive bladder problems in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) followed up at five centers in Turkey. DESIGN: Survey study. SETTING: Outpatient tertiary clinics of physical medicine and rehabilitation and neurology. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive MS patients scheduled for outpatient follow-up (n = 309). INTERVENTION: MS patients were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding the frequency and severity, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of their overactive bladder problems. RESULTS: The mean age ± SD was 39.3 ± 10.6 years. Urinary urgency was the most common urinary symptom (62%), followed by frequency (50.4%), urge incontinence (44.7%) and nocturia (33%). Residual urine volume was measured using a portable ultrasound instrument in 13.3% of the patients and by catheterization in 16.2% of them. Urodynamic investigations and urinary tract ultrasound were performed on 26.5% and 35.3% of the patients, respectively. Anticholinergic medications were prescribed for 27.5% of the patients. Intermittent catheterization and indwelling catheterization were used on 8.1% and 1.9% of the patients, respectively. The overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS) was significantly higher in patients who had had residual urine measurement (P < 0.001), upper urinary tract assessment by ultrasound (P < 0.001), urodynamic assessment (P < 0.001), admitted to a doctor for urinary symptoms (P < 0.001), and current or past catheter use (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Urgency was the most common urinary symptom followed by frequency, urge incontinence and nocturia in MS patients. The patients with lower OABSS had detailed urological assessments less frequently than the patients with higher OABSS.