Age and Urinary Retention in Women After Botox Treatment for Overactive Bladder

Urinary retention can occur after intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA administration. There are inconsistent data regarding whether older adults are at an increased risk of urinary retention following treatment.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between age and the development of urinary retention following intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA administration.

This was a retrospective cohort study of women initiating overactive bladder treatment with intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA from 2017 to 2022. The exposure of primary interest was age older than 70 years at the time of first treatment. The 2 primary outcomes were (1) the need for catheterization and (2) postvoid residual volume ≥200 mL after intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA treatment.

Three hundred forty-seven women underwent their first intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA treatment during the study period. The population included 166 (47.8%) individuals 70 years of age or younger and 181 (52.2%) older than 70 years. The majority of patients were White (83%), non-Hispanic (98%), and overweight (77%). Following their first intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA treatment, 28 women (8.1%) required catheterization, with no difference between the 70 years or younger age group or the older than 70 years age group (10% vs. 7%, P=0.33). In the individuals with a posttreatment postvoid residual volume measured, 63 (23.4%) had a volume ≥200 mL, with no significant difference between age groups (23.3% vs. 23.5%, P=0.98).

Age older than 70 years was not associated with urinary retention after intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA treatment for overactive bladder.