Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 13, 2025
Real-Time Void Spot Assay
Published on: February 10, 2023
Which children are at risk of developing overactive bladder in early adulthood even if lower urinary tract symptoms
Ismail Selvi1, Halil Basar2, Numan Baydilli3
1Department of Urology, Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Insights
Children with specific childhood lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) face a higher risk of developing overactive bladder (OAB) in adulthood. Early intervention and monitoring are crucial for these at-risk individuals to improve long-term outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Pediatric Urology
- Adult Urology
Background:
- Childhood lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common and can persist into adulthood.
- Overactive bladder (OAB) in adulthood significantly impacts quality of life.
- Understanding the long-term sequelae of childhood LUTS is crucial for preventative strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between childhood LUTS and the development of adult OAB.
- To identify specific risk factors in childhood that predict adult OAB.
- To assess the impact of childhood LUTS on adult quality of life.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 264 patients with childhood LUTS followed for a median of 20 years.
- Comparison between patients with and without adult OAB, and a control group without childhood LUTS.
- Validated questionnaires (OAB-8, PSQI, SF-36) and childhood Voiding Dysfunction Symptom Score (VDSS) were used.
Main Results:
- 38.6% of patients with childhood LUTS developed adult OAB, experiencing worse symptoms and quality of life.
- Key predictors for adult OAB included high pediatric VDSS (≥13), daytime incontinence, holding maneuvers, nocturnal enuresis, and late symptom recovery (≥12 years).
- Childhood LUTS significantly impacts adult OAB symptom severity and quality of life.
Conclusions:
- Children exhibiting specific LUTS characteristics, even if symptoms improve, are at elevated risk for developing adult OAB.
- Identifying and managing these pediatric risk factors is essential for preventing adult OAB.
- Early identification and intervention in children with LUTS can mitigate long-term OAB development and improve quality of life.
Objectives:
To evaluate more comprehensively the presence of an association between childhood lower urinary tract symptoms and development of adulthood overactive bladder, to determine the group at most risk of overactive bladder in adulthood, and to assess its effects on daily life.
Methods:
A total of 264 patients who were followed up for lower urinary tract symptoms in childhood between 2000 and 2005 were included in this retrospective, cohort study. After a median period of 20 years, these patients with a median current age of 29 (27-35) years were re-evaluated and divided into two groups: those currently with overactive bladder (n = 102, 23.0%), and those without overactive bladder (n = 162, 36.5%). In addition, 180 age-matched overactive bladder patients without a history of childhood lower urinary tract symptoms (n = 180, 40.5%) were included. The primary endpoint was to determine which children are at higher risk of adulthood overactive bladder. The secondary endpoint was to evaluate the effect of history of childhood lower urinary tract symptoms on quality of life in adulthood. The eight-item Overactive Bladder questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Short-Form 36-item Health Survey were administered to all participants. Voiding Dysfunction Symptom Score was evaluated according to childhood medical records.
Results:
Overactive bladder in adulthood was observed in 38.6% of patients recovering from childhood lower urinary tract symptoms. They had worse overactive bladder symptom scores and quality of life than those without childhood lower urinary tract symptoms (P < 0.001). Voiding Dysfunction Symptom Score ≥13 (odds ratio 2.54), daytime incontinence (odds ratio 2.01), holding maneuvers (odds ratio 1.82), nocturnal enuresis (odds ratio 1.75) in the pediatric period, and recovery age from all these symptoms of ≥12 years (odds ratio 1.95) were the most unfavorable determinants of development of adulthood overactive bladder.
Conclusions:
Our findings show that children with the above characteristics are at risk of developing overactive bladder later in their lives even if their symptoms improve in childhood.
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