Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders and Functional Urinary Disorders: A Fortuitous Association?

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Psychiatry
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Psychological factors influence bladder and bowel control.
• Functional urinary disorders in psychiatric patients are understudied.
• Obsessive-compulsive (OC) disorders are linked to higher rates of lower urinary tract dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature on functional urinary disorders in patients with psychiatric conditions.
• To investigate the prevalence and nature of urinary symptoms in individuals with OC disorders.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across multiple databases (PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, etc.).
• Included five observational studies.
• Meta-analysis was not feasible due to limited control groups.

Main Results:

• Patients with OC symptoms exhibited increased functional urinary symptoms, including overactive bladder, urgency, frequency, incontinence, and enuresis.
• These urinary issues were more prevalent in Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) or Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) compared to OCD alone.
• Evidence base was limited with moderate to serious risk of bias.

Conclusions:

• Observed associations between OC symptoms and functional urinary disorders require further investigation.
• Biological and behavioral mechanisms warrant exploration.
• Well-designed cohort studies are needed to confirm findings and guide management.