Characteristics of detrusor contractility during micturition in diabetics

Pressure-flow studies were performed in 26 diabetics without bladder-outlet obstruction to objectively quantify detrusor activity and its variance during micturition by using the watts factor (WF) and to clarify the factors inducing a post-void residual volume (PVR). The WFmax values obtained from the pressure-flow studies were low in the majority of diabetics. There was a significant negative correlation between WFmax and PVR. A fading contraction strength during voiding was also observed that gave rise to an increased volume of residual urine, indicating that detrusor activity could not be maintained until the bladder was completely emptied in the diabetics. A positive correlation between bladder capacity and PVR was also observed. Our results indicate that residual urine in diabetics is related to a decrease in the maximum detrusor contraction strength, the fading of detrusor contractility during voiding, and an increase in the size of the bladder.