Neurological examination of elderly women under investigation for urinary incontinence.
A random sample of 6,000 women from the birth cohorts 1900-1920 were invited to participate in an investigation of urinary incontinence by completing and returning an enclosed questionnaire. Of the 4,206 women who returned the completed questionnaire, 677 (16.9%) complained of urinary incontinence and accepted an invitation to be examined and treated at our clinic. The first 150 consecutive patients recruited via this questionnaire who attended the clinic underwent a detailed neurological examination. The prevalence of neurological signs amongst this group of women was low, only 2% were considered to have a focal encephalopathy, 1% had an organic brain syndrome, 2% had a myelopathy and a further 1% were considered to have a polyneuropathy. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of neurological signs between the group of women with urinary incontinence and an age-matched control group from the total population. Thus, urinary incontinence in an unselected population of elderly women appears to be mainly dependent on other aetiological factors rather than neurological dysfunction.
Molander
U
U
Department of Geriatrics, Vasa Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
Ekelund
P
P
Mellström
D
D
Milsom
I
I
Norlén
L
L
Fogelberg
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology