Urinary incontinence after traumatic brain injury: incidence, outcomes and correlates.
OBJECTIVE
To document the incidence and outcome of urinary incontinence (UI) and urinary retention (UR) during acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation and determine associated clinical variables.


METHODS
Retrospective case series.


RESULTS
Eighty-four patients (mean age 44.7 +/- 17.9 years; 66 males, 18 females) with first-ever TBI within 6 weeks of injury. On admission, UI was present in 52 (62%). UR defined as post-void residual urine volumes of > 100 mls was present in eight (9.5%). Forty-six (54.8%) needed external collecting devices and six (7.1%) used indwelling catheters. Bilateral lesions, diabetes mellitus and faecal impaction were present in 70.2, 10.7 and 6.0%, respectively. UI was associated with poorer functional status (measured by the modified Barthel index) and presence of bilateral lesions (p < 0.01). UR was associated with diabetes mellitus and faecal impaction (p < 0.01). On discharge, 31 (36.9%) remained incontinent.


CONCLUSIONS
UI is common after acute TBI and is associated with poorer functional outcome.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Republic of Singapore. karen_chua@ttsh.com.sg
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K
Chua
A
A
Chuo
K H
KH
Kong
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000209:etiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology*; D016055:Urinary Retention / Q000209:etiology