Burden of illness associated with lower urinary tract symptoms including overactive bladder/urinary incontinence.

Objectives: To determine the effect of lower urinary tract symptoms, including overactive bladder/urinary incontinence, on health outcomes.

Methods: Data were obtained from the 2006 U.S. National Health and Wellness Survey. Cases (those who reported experiencing a sudden overwhelming urge to urinate, a frequent urge to urinate, or urinating >8 times/d) were matched 1:1 with controls (those not experiencing any symptoms) by age, race, sex, educational attainment, and comorbidity status. The outcome measures assessed included health resource use, work productivity loss/activity impairment, and health-related quality of life.

Results: Of the 62,833 respondents to the 2006 U.S. National Health and Wellness Survey, 13,957 case-control pairs were matched. The presence of lower urinary tract symptoms, including OAB/UI symptoms, was significantly associated with increased resource use (emergency room visits, odds ratio -1.57, 95% confidence interval -1.47-1.68; hospitalizations, odds ratio -1.56, 95% confidence interval 1.43-1.69; medical provider visits, odds ratio -1.52, 95% confidence interval 1.41-1.63), 8.03% greater overall work productivity loss (P < .001), 12.88% greater activity impairment (P < .001), and decreased health- related quality of life (mental scores, 4.07 points lower [P < .001]; physical scores, 4.14 points lower [P < .001]).

Conclusions: The burden of illness associated with lower urinary tract conditions, including OAB/UI, extend beyond the diagnosed population. The appropriate diagnosis and treatment of symptoms could lead to better clinical, economic, and humanistic outcomes.