Is urinary incontinence different in women with Parkinson's disease?

The purpose of this study was to determine the risk of detrusor hyperreflexia in women with Parkinson's disease. Fourteen women with Parkinson's disease and urinary complaints were compared with 28 age-matched women who had urinary complaints and no neurologic disease (controls). Demographic data, symptomatology, multichannel urodynamic indices and rates of diagnoses were compared between the two groups using the Mantel-Haenszel matched odds ratio (OR) and the Kruskal-Wallis test. The mean age of the women was 73.3 years. Those with Parkinson's disease had an increased rate of detrusor hyperreflexia (92.8% vs. 50.0%, OR 13, 95% confidence interval 1.6,228, P=0.02) which occurred at lower volumes (150.0 ml vs. 225.0 ml, P=0.01), and a lower maximum cystometric capacity (240.0 ml vs. 335.0 ml, P=0.02) compared to the control group. It was concluded that women with Parkinson's disease and lower urinary tract complaints have a lower maximum cystometric capacity and a higher rate of detrusor hyperreflexia at lower bladder volumes.