title: Prevalence and impact of urinary incontinence in men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a questionnaire survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify urinary incontinence and its impact on men with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and men without lung disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective questionnaire study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatients attending a public metropolitan hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Men with COPD (n=49) and age-matched men without lung disease (n=36).
  
  
  METHODS
  Validated questionnaires to identify the prevalence and impact of urinary incontinence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence of urinary incontinence and relationship with disease-specific factors, and relationship of urinary incontinence with anxiety and depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of urinary incontinence was higher in men with COPD (n=19/49) compared with men without lung disease (n=6/36; P=0.027). In men with COPD, symptoms of urgency were more prevalent in men with urinary incontinence (P=0.005), but this was not evident in men without lung disease (P=0.101). Only men with COPD reported symptoms of urgency associated with dyspnoea, and this did not vary between men with and without urinary incontinence (P=0.138). In men with COPD, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was lower in those with urinary incontinence compared with those without urinary incontinence {mean 38 [standard deviation (SD) 14] % predicted vs 61 (SD 24) % predicted; P=0.002}. The impact of urinary incontinence did not differ between the two groups (P=0.333).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Incontinence is more prevalent in men with COPD than in men without lung disease. The prevalence of urinary incontinence increases with greater disease severity, as reflected by lower FEV1. Screening for urinary incontinence should be considered in men with COPD and compromised lung function.
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Physiotherapy, La Trobe/Alfred Health Clinical School, The Alfred Centre, Prahran, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: A.Burge@alfred.org.au.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Burge
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Institute for Breathing and Sleep, Bowen Centre, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine Department, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kein
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine Department, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Button
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sherburn
authors.affiliation: Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine Department, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Physiotherapy, La Trobe/Alfred Health Clinical School, The Alfred Centre, Prahran, Victoria, Australia; Institute for Breathing and Sleep, Bowen Centre, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Holland
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000453:epidemiology; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Aged; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Men; Urinary incontinence