title: Lower urinary tract symptoms and falls in older women: a case control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the distribution of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in women >65y old presenting to the emergency department following a fall or fall related injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, case controlled postal questionnaire study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University Teaching Hospital, London, UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  The distribution of LUTS were assessed using the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire for female lower urinary tract symptoms. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics to determine whether there was a difference in the distribution of LUTS between women presenting with a fall or non-fall related health problem. The proportion of women who attributed their fall to lower urinary tract symptoms was also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No difference in the distribution of LUTS was found between older women presenting with a fall and those without. Only 6.5% of women presenting with falls attributed their fall to antecedent LUTS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No relationship between falls and urgency or urgency incontinence was found in a cohort of older women presenting to the emergency department having fallen. A temporal association between falls and LUTS was observed in only a minority of falls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Healthcare for Older People, Whittington Health, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: rhodri.edwards@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Rhodri
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wagg
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: Falls; Lower urinary tract symptoms; Older people; Urinary incontinence