Prevalence, evaluation and management of overactive bladder in primary care.
BACKGROUND
Patients with overactive bladder (OAB) are under-diagnosed in the primary care setting. Primary care physicians (PCP) approach to the patient and appropriate patient disclosure may contribute to under-diagnosis.


METHODS
An outpatient primary care setting was used to determine the prevalence and characteristics of OAB. Patients who visited the family medicine outpatient clinic were invited to answer a self-administered questionnaire. It included questions on evidence of lower urinary tract symptoms (modified Overactive Bladder-Validated 8-question Screener [OAB-V8]), relevant medical and surgical history, and demographic data. Relationship between OAB and other independent variables were analyzed using chi-square and risk ratio (RR) analysis.


RESULTS
Of 325 questionnaires distributed, 311 were returned completed. Patients ranged from 18 to 97 years, the majority women (74.0%) and African American (74.3%). OAB was present in 60.5% of men and 48.3% of women (p = 0.058). OAB was significantly associated with obesity (BMI > or = 30) in women (p = 0.018, RR = 1.72), specifically obese premenopausal women (age < 55 years) (p = 0.011, RR = 1.98).


CONCLUSIONS
OAB prevalence is more than double and higher in men than previously reported. The relative risk for OAB is significantly greater in obese premenopausal women.
Cheung
Wellman W
WW
Department of Urology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, NY, USA. wellman.cheung@downstate.edu
Khan
Nadia H
NH
Choi
Karmina K
KK
Bluth
Martin H
MH
Vincent
Miriam T
MT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy