Incidence and remission of female urinary incontinence over 6.5 years: analysis of a health screening project.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the incidence and remission of female urinary incontinence (UI) over 6.5 years and to identify risk factors for the development of UI.


METHODS
Women who underwent a health investigation in 1998 or 1999 in the area of Vienna completed the Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms questionnaire. In 2005, all women (n=925) aged >/=20 yr in 1999 who were still living in the area of Vienna were invited to recomplete the questionnaire.


RESULTS
The response rate was 47.7% (n=441; age range, 20-84 yr), and the mean follow-up was 6.5 yr. The overall prevalence of UI was 32% at baseline and increased to 43% in 6.5 years. The mean annual cumulative incidence of UI was 3.9%, with the lowest rate (2.3%) in the youngest age group (20-39 yr) and the highest (7.3%) in those aged 70 yr or older. The mean annual full remission rate was 2.9%, with no clear age dependency. More than half (55.6%) of the women with a full remission had only a mild form of UI at baseline. In a multivariate analysis, urgency (p=0.008) and age (p=0.024) were correlated to the risk of de novo UI.


CONCLUSIONS
This longitudinal study demonstrates that UI is not necessarily a progressive process but rather is a dynamic one.
Wehrberger
Clemens
C
Department of Urology and Andrology, Donauspital, Vienna, Austria.
Temml
Christian
C
Ponholzer
Anton
A
Madersbacher
Stephan
S
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D012074:Remission Induction; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy