title: Bladder sensations during filling cystometry are different according to urodynamic diagnosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the position and character of bladder filling sensations in women undergoing urodynamic investigations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with lower urinary tract symptoms referred to urodynamic clinics of two tertiary referral teaching hospitals were prospectively studied. During filling cystometry the women were asked to describe the bladder sensations at the first sensation of bladder filling, first desire to void, strong desire to void, maximum bladder capacity and if the woman felt urgency. Women were also asked to define the time that the voiding could be delayed and to indicate the position of each sensation on a body map. Women were classified into four groups according to urodynamic diagnosis: detrusor overactivity (DO), urodynamic stress incontinence (USI), co-existing DO and USI (mixed) and inconclusive urodynamics; the latter was excluded from the study. Bladder sensations were compared between these groups using Chi squared and Kruskall-Wallis tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-two women were studied. Women with DO and mixed urodynamic diagnosis predominantly described the bladder sensations as being perineal or vaginal in origin, whereas those with USI felt the sensations suprapubically. The character of bladder sensation was not significantly different between the diagnostic groups and the intensity increased with larger bladder volume. The duration that women could delay voiding was significantly different between different urodynamic groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bladder sensations experienced during cystometry are different in position and duration in relation to urodynamic diagnoses. This indicates that uniform descriptions of sensations during filling cystometry might not be appropriate to different urodynamic diagnoses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urogynaecology, Imperial College, Cambridge Wing, St Mary's Hospital, London, United Kingdom. digesualex@hotmail.com
authors.forename: G Alessandro
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Digesu
authors.forename: Ramandeep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Basra
authors.forename: Vik
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Khullar
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hendricken
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camarata
authors.forename: Con
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kelleher
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000502:physiology*; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000503:physiopathology; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000503:physiopathology; D014563:Urodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology