Prevalence and severity of urinary incontinence in kidney transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and severity of urinary incontinence and its impact on activities of daily living in kidney transplant recipients. METHODS: The continence status, severity, and impact of urinary incontinence on activities of daily living in female kidney transplant recipients was studied by using Sandvik's Incontinence Severity Index and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire. Clinical and sociodemographic data from post-transplant incontinent and continent participants were compared by using chi(2), Student t, and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: One hundred of 123 female kidney transplant recipients completed the survey for a response rate of 81.3%. The prevalence of urinary incontinence in female kidney transplant recipients was 28%. The mean Sandvik's Incontinence Severity Index score was 5.1 (median 3.5; 95% confidence interval 3.6, 6.6). The mean Incontinence Impact Questionnaire score was 12.9 (median 4.8; 95% confidence interval 6.7, 18.9). Incontinent kidney transplant recipients recorded a greater daily fluid intake on their 3-day diaries than continent kidney transplant recipients (2,951.9 +/- 1,228.6 mL compared with 1,854.6 +/- 614.8 mL, P =.04). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence rate of urinary incontinence from interviewed kidney transplant recipients was 28%, which had minimal impact on activities of daily living and may not be predicted by a history of incontinence before kidney failure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-3