Two-year outcomes after surgery for stress urinary incontinence in older compared with younger women

To estimate whether perioperative and postoperative outcomes after Burch colposuspension or pubovaginal sling for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) differed with age.

This study was a prospective secondary analysis of the Stress Incontinence Surgical Treatment Efficacy Trial. Baseline characteristics, adverse events, and 2-year outcomes of women at least 65 years old were compared with those younger than 65 years using chi(2) and t tests. Multivariable analyses were performed, including age and outcomes that differed between age groups on univariable analysis, adjusting for variables that differed by age group at baseline and by surgical treatment group.

Six-hundred fifty-five women were included in analyses of perioperative events and 520 for 2-year outcomes. Mean age (+/-standard deviation) was 69.7 (+/-3.7) years in the older group and 49.4 (+/-8.2) in the younger group. Older women had slightly longer time to normal activities (50 days compared with 42 days, P=.05), but there was no difference in time to normal voiding (14 days compared with 11 days, P=.42). Older women were more likely to have a positive stress test at follow-up (odds ratio [OR] 3.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.70-7.97, P=.001), less subjective improvement in stress (8 point lesser decrease, 95% CI 1.5-14.1, P=.02), and urge incontinence (7 point lesser decrease, 95% CI 1.5-12.2, P=.01) by the Medical and Epidemiologic Social Aspects of Aging questionnaire, and were more likely to undergo surgical retreatment for SUI (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.30-11.48). Perioperative adverse events and length of stay did not differ between groups.

Older women undergoing surgery for stress incontinence can expect to do as well as younger women with respect to perioperative outcomes, but experience 2-year outcomes that are worse.