Burden of illness associated with lower urinary tract symptoms including overactive bladder/urinary incontinence.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of lower urinary tract symptoms, including overactive bladder/urinary incontinence, on health outcomes.


METHODS
Data were obtained from the 2006 U.S. National Health and Wellness Survey. Cases (those who reported experiencing a sudden overwhelming urge to urinate, a frequent urge to urinate, or urinating >8 times/d) were matched 1:1 with controls (those not experiencing any symptoms) by age, race, sex, educational attainment, and comorbidity status. The outcome measures assessed included health resource use, work productivity loss/activity impairment, and health-related quality of life.


RESULTS
Of the 62,833 respondents to the 2006 U.S. National Health and Wellness Survey, 13,957 case-control pairs were matched. The presence of lower urinary tract symptoms, including OAB/UI symptoms, was significantly associated with increased resource use (emergency room visits, odds ratio -1.57, 95% confidence interval -1.47-1.68; hospitalizations, odds ratio -1.56, 95% confidence interval 1.43-1.69; medical provider visits, odds ratio -1.52, 95% confidence interval 1.41-1.63), 8.03% greater overall work productivity loss (P < .001), 12.88% greater activity impairment (P < .001), and decreased health- related quality of life (mental scores, 4.07 points lower [P < .001]; physical scores, 4.14 points lower [P < .001]).


CONCLUSIONS
The burden of illness associated with lower urinary tract conditions, including OAB/UI, extend beyond the diagnosed population. The appropriate diagnosis and treatment of symptoms could lead to better clinical, economic, and humanistic outcomes.
Consumer Health Sciences, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, USA. hema.kannan@chsinternational.com
Hema
H
Kannan
Larry
L
Radican
Robin S
RS
Turpin
Susan C
SC
Bolge
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053448:Prostatism / Q000150:complications*; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000150:complications*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult