Abstract
Background and aim
We aimed to capture the breadth of health outcomes that have been associated with the presence of Urinary Incontinence (UI) and systematically assess the quality, strength, and credibility of these associations through an umbrella review and integrated meta-analyses.
Methods
We assessed meta-analyses of observational studies based on random-effect summary effect sizes and their p-values, 95% prediction intervals, heterogeneity, small-study effects, and excess significance. We graded the evidence from convincing (Class I) to weak (Class IV).
Results and discussion
From 3172 articles returned in search of the literature, 9 systematic reviews were included with a total of 41 outcomes. Overall, 37 out of the 41 outcomes reported nominally significant summary results (p < 0.05), with 22 associations surviving the application of a more stringent p-value (p < 10−6). UI was associated with worse scores than controls in female sexual function (Class II), while it was also associated with a higher prevalence of depression (odds ratio [OR] = 1.815; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.551–2.124), and anxiety (OR = 1.498; 95% CI: 1.273–1.762) (Class IV). UI was associated with poorer quality of life (QoL), higher rate of mortality (hazard ratio = 2.392; 95% CI: 2.053–2.787) an increase in falls, frailty, pressure ulcers, diabetes, arthritis, and fecal incontinence (Class IV).
Conclusions
UI is associated with female sexual dysfunction, with highly suggestive evidence. However, the evidence of other adverse outcomes including depression, anxiety, poorer QoL, higher mortality, falls, pressure ulcers, diabetes, arthritis, fecal incontinence, and frailty is only weak. A multidimensional approach should be taken in managing UI in the clinical setting.
We aimed to capture the breadth of health outcomes that have been associated with the presence of Urinary Incontinence (UI) and systematically assess the quality, strength, and credibility of these associations through an umbrella review and integrated meta-analyses.
Methods
We assessed meta-analyses of observational studies based on random-effect summary effect sizes and their p-values, 95% prediction intervals, heterogeneity, small-study effects, and excess significance. We graded the evidence from convincing (Class I) to weak (Class IV).
Results and discussion
From 3172 articles returned in search of the literature, 9 systematic reviews were included with a total of 41 outcomes. Overall, 37 out of the 41 outcomes reported nominally significant summary results (p < 0.05), with 22 associations surviving the application of a more stringent p-value (p < 10−6). UI was associated with worse scores than controls in female sexual function (Class II), while it was also associated with a higher prevalence of depression (odds ratio [OR] = 1.815; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.551–2.124), and anxiety (OR = 1.498; 95% CI: 1.273–1.762) (Class IV). UI was associated with poorer quality of life (QoL), higher rate of mortality (hazard ratio = 2.392; 95% CI: 2.053–2.787) an increase in falls, frailty, pressure ulcers, diabetes, arthritis, and fecal incontinence (Class IV).
Conclusions
UI is associated with female sexual dysfunction, with highly suggestive evidence. However, the evidence of other adverse outcomes including depression, anxiety, poorer QoL, higher mortality, falls, pressure ulcers, diabetes, arthritis, fecal incontinence, and frailty is only weak. A multidimensional approach should be taken in managing UI in the clinical setting.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 479–495 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Aging Clinical and Experimental Research |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Early online date | 13 Jan 2023 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2023 |
Bibliographical note
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.Keywords
- Urinary incontinence
- Health outcomes
- Umbrella review
- Meta-analysis
