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Meta-Analysis
. 2021 Jan;33(1):25-35.
doi: 10.1007/s40520-020-01712-y. Epub 2020 Sep 22.

Urinary incontinence and quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Damiano Pizzol  1 , Jacopo Demurtas  2   3 , Stefano Celotto  4 , Stefania Maggi  5 , Lee Smith  6 , Gabriele Angiolelli  7 , Mike Trott  6 , Lin Yang  8   9 , Nicola Veronese  10   11
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Urinary incontinence and quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Damiano Pizzol et al. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Background: Urinary incontinence (UI) and low quality of life (QoL) are two common conditions. Some recent literature proposed that these two entities can be associated. However, no attempt was made to collate this literature. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing data to estimate the strength of the association between UI and QoL.

Methods: An electronic search of major databases up to 18th April 2020 was carried out. Meta-analysis of cross-sectional and case-control studies comparing mean values in QoL between patients with UI and controls was performed, reporting random-effects standardized mean differences (SMDs) ± 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as the effect size. Heterogeneity was assessed with the I2.

Results: Out of 8279 articles initially screened, 23 were finally included for a total of 24,983 participants, mainly women. The mean age was ≥ 50 years in 12/23 studies. UI was significantly associated with poor QoL as assessed by the short-form 36 (SF-36) total score (n = 6 studies; UI: 473 vs. 2971 controls; SMD = - 0.89; 95% CI - 1.3 to - 0.42; I2 = 93.5) and by the sub-scales of SF-36 and 5/8 of the domains included in the SF-36. Similar results were found using other QoL tools. The risk of bias of the studies included was generally high.

Conclusions: UI is associated with a poor QoL, with a strong level of certainty. This work, however, mainly based on cross-sectional and case-control studies, highlights the necessity of future longitudinal studies for better understanding the importance of UI on QoL.

Keywords: Meta-analysis; Quality of life; Urinary incontinence.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
PRISMA flow-chart
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Association of urinary incontinence with quality of life, effect sizes represented in standard mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Association of urinary incontinence with quality of life, effect sizes represented in standard mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Geriatrics.
    Griebling TL. Griebling TL. J Urol. 2021 Dec;206(6):1493-1496. doi: 10.1097/JU.0000000000002217. Epub 2021 Sep 8. J Urol. 2021. PMID: 34494455 No abstract available.

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