To investigate the relationship between sleep disturbance, fatigue, and urinary incontinence (UI)/overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms among patients with OAB.
Patients who were diagnosed with overactive bladder (OAB) and age-matched control subjects without OAB were enrolled. Sleep disturbance and fatigue symptoms were assessed using the PROMIS short forms. UI/OAB symptoms were assessed using the ICIQ-UI, ICIQ-OAB, OAB-q, UDI-6, and IIQ-7 questionnaires. Psychosocial health (depression, anxiety, perceived stress level) was also assessed.
OAB patients reported significantly greater sleep disturbance compared to controls (PROMIS 8b T-scores: 54.3 ± 10.3 vs. 43.8 ± 9.2). OAB patients also reported significantly greater fatigue compared to controls (PROMIS 7a T-scores: 54.7 ± 9.6 vs. 46.0 ± 6.4). After adjusting for nocturia, the differences in sleep disturbance between OAB and controls became insignificant (p=0.21) while the differences in fatigue between OAB and controls remained significant (p=0.014). Among OAB patients, there were positive correlations between sleep disturbance and the severity of OAB symptoms (ICIQ-OAB), poorer health-related quality of life (OAB-q QOL), the severity of urinary incontinence symptoms (ICIQ-UI), greater incontinence impact (IIQ-7) and urinary bother (UDI-6). Positive correlations were also observed between fatigue and worse UI/OAB symptoms and quality of life. Both sleep disturbance and fatigue were associated with poor psychosocial health (depression, anxiety, higher stress level) among OAB patients.
Sleep disturbance and fatigue are present in substantial percentages of OAB patients. Among OAB patients, sleep disturbance and fatigue were associated with more severe UI/OAB symptoms, worse health-related quality of life, and poorer psychosocial health.
Urology. 2017 Aug 04 [Epub ahead of print]
T Jessie Ge, Joel Vetter, H Henry Lai
Division of Urologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110., Division of Urologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110. Electronic address: .