Prevalence of urinary incontinence among women with diabetes in the Lolland‐Falster Health Study, Denmark

Abstract

Aims: To investigate the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) and UI subtypes (stress, urgency, and mixed UI) in women with or without diabetes mellitus; and to investigate the association between diabetes and UI (any and subtypes). Methods: A cross-sectional study based on the Lolland-Falster, Denmark population-based health study. From 2016 to 2020, clinical measurement, questionnaires, and blood tests were collected. A total of 8563 women aged 18 or older were enrolled. Data analysis included 7906 women. UI was defined as any involuntary leakage of urine during the previous 4 weeks. Multiple logistic regression was used to adjust for confounders: age, body mass index, parity, physical activity, previous gestational diabetes, education, and smoking. Results: UI prevalence was 50.3% in women with diabetes and 39.3% in women without diabetes. The unadjusted and adjusted odds ratio (OR) for UI in women with diabetes was OR 1.56 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27-1.92) and 1.11 (95% CI, 0.88-1.38), respectively. Mixed UI was associated with diabetes after controlling for confounders. A subgroup analysis found women using multiple antidiabetic medications had increased odds of UI, 2.75 (95% CI, 1.38-5.48), after controlling for confounders. Conclusion: The prevalence of UI in women with diabetes was higher than in women without diabetes. The odds of UI was 56% higher in women with diabetes compared with women without diabetes but the effect was attenuated when controlling for confounders and statistically significance was not achieved. For a subgroup using multiple antidiabetic medications, the risk of UI was higher than in women without diabetes.

Association between chronic conditions and urinary incontinence in females: a cross-sectional study using national survey data

“…Studies on diabetes and urinary incontinence have ranged from detecting a small 25 , 49 or nonsignificant 18 , 50 association (ORs from 1.1 to 1.3) to large associations in excess of twofold. 42 , 51 Our sample composition and model covariates were most similar to those of Ebbesen and colleagues 49 and Løwenstein and colleagues, 50 and results are remarkably consistent — an OR of 1.20 in our study, 1.21 by Ebbesen and 1.11 by Løwenstein. Our analysis suggested that this association may be driven by type 2 more than type 1 diabetes.…”

Urinary Incontinence Affects the Quality of Life and Increases Psychological Distress and Low Self-Esteem

“…A recent study published in 2020 that included 398 diabetic women from Taif, a city in the western province of Saudi Arabia, found that 34% of them suffer from UI ( p < 0.05) [ 41 ]. A study from Denmark found that the prevalence of UI was 50.3% in diabetic participants and 39.3% in participants without diabetes mellitus (DM) [ 42 ]. The pathophysiology of UI in diabetes is related to diabetic autonomic neuropathy in the form of overactive bladder, voiding dysfunction, and urinary retention [ 43 , 44 ].…”

Proposal for a Clinical Protocol for the Conservative Treatment of Urge Urinary Incontinence

“…Women are more affected by this condition, considering pelvic anatomy, pregnancy, and climacteric conditions, among other factors. International studies indicate that the prevalence of incontinence in women is higher than 40%, and this indicator may reach 50% in the presence of diabetes mellitus [2][3][4][5] . It is estimated that more than 200 million people have some type of incontinence, of which 50% have UUI, thus confirming the magnitude of the problem 6 .…”