Prevalence of abnormal urodynamic test results in continent women with severe genitourinary prolapse

Twenty-two clinically continent women with severe genitourinary prolapse were evaluated urodynamically to determine the prevalence of urodynamic abnormalities that could lead to potential urinary incontinence. Urodynamic testing found an occult incontinence disorder in 13 women (59%), of whom four had urine loss during cough pressure profiles after pessary placement, four had uninhibited detrusor contractions during retrograde medium-fill water cystometry, and five had both stress urinary incontinence and an unstable bladder. Therefore, nine of the 22 patients (41%) had uninhibited detrusor contractions during urodynamic testing. However, uroflowmetry did not reveal voiding dysfunction in this group, although peak flow rates appeared to be lower in the subgroup of women manifesting uninhibited detrusor contractions. Associated symptoms of frequency, nocturia, and urgency occurred in 41% of the women in this study; four of nine (44%) who had normal urodynamic test results, five of 13 (38%) who had abnormal test results, and five of nine (56%) who had an unstable bladder. Therefore, associated symptoms could not be used to determine which women would have abnormal urodynamic test results. These preliminary results suggest that women with genitourinary prolapse may be at risk for an occult incontinence disorder that is masked by the prolapse and that could manifest after corrective surgery for prolapse. Urodynamic testing is suggested for women with genitourinary prolapse who present with or without symptoms of incontinence, so that more data can be obtained to determine the importance of abnormal test results.