Voiding dysfunction due to multiple sclerosis: a large scale retrospective analysis

Abstract

PURPOSE: To assess the outcome of urologic evaluation in patients with voiding dysfunction due to multiple sclerosis (MS) and to determine the relationship between urological and neurological parameters of these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 249 consecutive patients (162 female and 87 male) with MS who were referred to our clinic between 1991 and 2006, with a median time of 4 years (range 3 months to 26 years) of MS onset. Data was analyzed with respect to patient demographics and findings of initial evaluation. Lower urinary tract symptoms were evaluated by Boyarsky symptom index. RESULTS: All patients except 13 had lower urinary tract symptoms and 70% manifested mixed symptoms. Total, storage and voiding symptom scores correlated with expanded disability status scale scores (p 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of mixed symptoms in patients with MS is higher than storage or voiding symptoms alone. Although detrusor overactivity and detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia were the most common urodynamic diagnoses, upper urinary tract deterioration was rare in our series.

Keywords

• multiple sclerosis
• urodynamics
• urination disorders
• ultrasound