Overactive bladder symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis: Frequency, severity, diagnosis and treatment

Objective: To determine the frequency and severity as well as the diagnosis and treatment of overactive bladder problems in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) followed up at five centers in Turkey. Design: Survey study. Setting: Outpatient tertiary clinics of physical medicine and rehabilitation and neurology. Participants: Consecutive MS patients scheduled for outpatient follow-up (n= 309). Intervention: MS patients were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding the frequency and severity, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of their overactive bladder problems. Results: The mean age±SD was 39.3±10.6 years. Urinary urgency was the most common urinary symptom (62%), followed by frequency (50.4%), urge incontinence (44.7%) and nocturia (33%). Residual urine volume was measured using a portable ultrasound instrument in 13.3% of the patients and by catheterization in 16.2% of them. Urodynamic investigations and urinary tract ultrasound were performed on 26.5% and 35.3% of the patients, respectively. Anticholinergic medications were prescribed for 27.5% of the patients. Intermittent catheterization and indwelling catheterization were used on 8.1% and 1.9% of the patients, respectively. The overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS) was significantly higher in patients who had had residual urine measurement (P<0.001), upper urinary tract assessment by ultrasound (P<0.001), urodynamic assessment (P<0.001), admitted to a doctor for urinary symptoms (P