Urinary incontinence at orgasm: relation to detrusor overactivity and treatment efficacy.
OBJECTIVE
To understand the pathophysiological mechanism of incontinence during orgasm and to compare women affected by symptomatic detrusor overactivity (DO) with and without incontinence at orgasm in terms of efficacy of antimuscarinic treatment.


METHODS
All consecutive sexually active women with incontinence during intercourse were prospectively included and divided into two groups: women with coital incontinence at orgasm or at penetration. The two forms of coital incontinence were correlated to the urodynamic finding of DO. Women complaining of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms, with urinary incontinence at orgasm and urodynamically proven DO (cases), were prescribed tolterodine 4 mg extended release for at least 12 wk. The cases were compared in terms of efficacy of treatment on OAB symptoms to consecutive patients with symptomatic DO without coital incontinence (control group).


RESULTS
Among the 1133 women who underwent urodynamic testings during the study period, 132 patients were eligible for final analysis. A significant difference in DO was observed in women with incontinence at orgasm (34 of 49; 69.4%) compared with women with incontinence during penetration (24 of 83; 28.9%) (p<0.0001). The 34 women with incontinence at orgasm associated with DO were given antimuscarinics treatment and were compared with 53 controls. Fourteen of 34 (41.2%) and 9 of 53 (17%) women did not respond to antimuscarinics in the cases and in the control group, respectively (p=0.023).


CONCLUSIONS
Incontinence at orgasm is associated with DO in the majority of cases. This is the first study showing an inferior efficacy of antimuscarinic treatment in women with DO complaining of incontinence at orgasm.
Serati
Maurizio
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Insubria, Del Ponte Hospital, Piazza Biroldi 1, Varese, Italy. mauserati@hotmail.com
Salvatore
Stefano
S
Uccella
Stefano
S
Cromi
Antonella
A
Khullar
Vik
V
Cardozo
Linda
L
Bolis
Pierfrancesco
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003408:Cresols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009948:Orgasm; D010665:Phenylpropanolamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000068737:Tolterodine Tartrate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D003408:Cresols; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D010665:Phenylpropanolamine; D000068737:Tolterodine Tartrate