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Updated: May 31, 2026
05:25
Ultrasonography of the Adult Male Urinary Tract for Urinary Functional Testing
Published on: August 14, 2019
Biomarkers in overactive bladder: a new objective and noninvasive tool?
Tiago Antunes-Lopes1, Sérgio Carvalho-Barros, Célia-Duarte Cruz
1Department of Urology, Hospital de S. João, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
Advances in Urology
|June 21, 2011
Summary
Overactive bladder (OAB) diagnosis lacks objective tests. Emerging urinary neurotrophins, like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), show promise as accurate biomarkers for OAB, potentially improving diagnosis and treatment assessment.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Biomarker Discovery
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) is a common urinary dysfunction with significant costs.
- Current OAB diagnosis relies on subjective symptoms, lacking objective, non-invasive tests.
- Altered urinary proteins, including neurotrophins, are implicated in lower urinary tract (LUT) dysfunction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in OAB biomarkers.
- To explore the role of neurotrophins, specifically nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as potential OAB biomarkers.
- To discuss the detection and clinical application of these emerging biomarkers.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific literature on OAB biomarkers.
- Analysis of studies investigating urinary neurotrophin levels in OAB patients.
- Evaluation of the diagnostic potential of NGF and BDNF.
Main Results:
- Urinary neurotrophins, NGF and BDNF, are implicated in OAB pathophysiology.
- Urinary NGF shows limited sensitivity and specificity as an OAB biomarker.
- Preliminary data suggest BDNF may be a more effective biomarker for OAB.
Conclusions:
- Neurotrophins are crucial for understanding OAB's underlying mechanisms.
- BDNF shows potential as a more reliable objective biomarker for OAB diagnosis and monitoring.
- Further research is needed to validate NGF and BDNF as clinical OAB biomarkers.
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