URINARY DYSFUNCTION IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE

7th January 2012 - New research

Journal of Neurological and Neurosurgical Psychiatry [2011] 82 (12) : 1382-1386 (T.Uchiyama, R.Sakakibara, T.Yamamoto, T.Ito, C.Yamaguchi, Y.Awa, M.Yanagisawa, Y.Higuchi, Y.Sato, T.Ichikawa, T.Yamanishi, T.Hattori, S.Kuwabara)

Urinary dysfunction is common in Parkinson's Disease, but little is known about urinary dysfunction in early and untreated Parkinson's Disease. Nearly two thirds (64%) of people with Parkinson's Disease complain of urinary symptoms. However, there were found to be actual urinary problems in 85% of people with Parkinson's Disease. All of the 64% of people complaining of urinary symptoms had difficulty controlling the retention of urine, or lost control of urinary retention (storage abnormalities). Over a quarter (28%) had difficulty in urinating (voiding difficulties). Over half (58%) had detrusor overactivity. The detrusor muscle is the muscle that contracts when urinating to squeeze out urine. However, whilst urinating, detrusor underactivity rather than overactivity occurred in half of people.

These urinary symptoms were not correlated with gender, severity of Parkinson's Disease, or the type of motor symptom. Urinary dysfunction, manifested primarily as storage abnormalities, and with subclinical voiding difficulties commonly occurs in early and untreated Parkinson's Disease.