ICS 1999, Denver
Informally discussed posters
Pharmacology
The relationship between medication type, urinary symptoms and clinical measures of severity

U. Azam, R.P. Assassa, K. Williams et al
Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University of Leicester, Leicester, England, UK

Aims of Study: The types of medications used by patients and their association with urinary incontinence has been previously examined in elderly populations (1). This study aims to investigate the relationship between medication type, urinary symptoms and objective clinical measures of urinary incontinence in a community based population sample of men and women aged 40 years and above.

Methods: 184 Patients (62 men, 122 women, mean age 66 years, SD 43.50) over the age of 40 yrs, residing within the county of Leicestershire, were recruited as part of a community based trial investigating Continence Nurse treatment of urinary dysfunction. All patients were taking prescribed medications. Medications were grouped into the following categories: Diuretics, HRT, NSAID, CNS acting, Respiratory acting, Insulin, Oral Hypoglycaemics, Antibiotics, Beta blockers, Calcium channel antagonists, ACE inhibitors, Antianginal, Antiarrythmic, Anticoagulant, Analgesics and Miscellaneous.

Patients urinary symptoms reported at the start of nursing interventions (frequency, urgency, nocturia, stress and urge incontinence) were compared with the types of medication. Objective clinical measures of severity of urinary incontinence obtained at the start of nursing intervention, in the form of a 24hr home pad test and 3 day Frequency-Volume Chart (FVC) measures (Mean daytime frequency, Mean nighttime frequency, Mean 24hr frequency, Mean voided volume, Functional bladder capacity and number of Incontinent episodes), were also compared with medication type. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U testing.

Results: There was no statistically significant association between medication types and urinary symptoms or objective clinical measurements of severity (24hr home pad test and 3 day FVC measures). However there were clinically significant associations, particularly when comparing medication type and objective measures of severity of incontinence.

Conclusions: There seems to be little association between the type of medications patients are using and their subjective reporting of urinary incontinence in the community. However, there are possible clinically significant associations when comparing medication types and clinically objective measures of severity. This work is ongoing and we will report with larger numbers in the future.

(1) Drug Intell Clin Pharm 1988 Oct; 22(10): 789-7