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Urinary Retention in the Elderly: A Study of 100 Hospitalized Patients
Author(s) -
Grosshans Cl.,
Passadori Y.,
Peter B.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1993.tb06736.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cystometry , urination , urinary incontinence , urinary system , urine , surgery , urology
Objective : To estimate the prevalence of incomplete bladder emptying by the elderly and to determine its significance and its relationship to overflow incontinence. Design : Survey comparing groups with and without incomplete bladder emptying. Setting : A geriatric hospital ward. Patients : One hundred patients who were consecutively admitted, with an average age of 82.6 years. Measurements : A physical examination, perineal examination, micturition assessment, and evaluation of the postvoiding residual urine volume (PRUV) by ultrasonography at day 1 and day 8 following admission. One‐channel cystometry and urine cultures were also done. Between‐group comparison was performed between groups R (ie, PRUV greater than 50 mL) and C (ie, PRUV less than 50 mL). Main Results : The prevalence of PRUV greater than 50 mL was 34%. Group R patients presented with greater dependency; death was the final outcome of hospitalization in 36% of these cases (vs only 9% in group C). A high PRUV was not correlated with urinary tract infection or renal failure, but there was a strong, almost significant trend toward incontinence being more prevalent in R (57%) than in C (38%) ( P = 0.06). Group R presented a hypotonic bladder in 45% of cases, evidenced by cystometry, versus 6% in group C. Conclusions : In cases with a high PRUV, the utmost caution is necessary both in the diagnosis of overflow incontinence and in establishing a therapeutic approach. Incomplete bladder emptying is associated with a poor prognosis.