Abstract
Objective
To examine the prospective association between constipation and risk of developing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in parous middle-aged women.
Subjects and Methods
The study uses data from 3729 women from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children who provided self-reports of medication intake for constipation at two timepoints (Baseline):2001-2003 and 2003-2005. Women with LUTS at baseline were excluded. After 10 years of follow-up, women provided self-reports of LUTS using an adapted version of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire on Female LUTS. LUTS were categorized according to International Continence Society definitions as stress urinary incontinence [UI], urgency UI, mixed UI, nocturia, increased daytime frequency,
urgency, hesitancy, and intermittency. LUTS were considered present if symptoms were reported to occur at least “sometimes” for all subtypes except for increase daytime frequency (≥ 9 times) and nocturia (≥ 2 times nightly).
Results
At follow-up, the prevalence of any LUTS was 40%. Women (mean age 43.3 years, SD 0.5), who took medication for constipation at either time point had increased risks of urgency (adjusted RR=1.35; 95% CI 1.04, 1.95) and hesitancy (adjusted RR=1.72; 95% CI 1.04, 3.01) compared with women who reported not using medication for constipation at either time point. The risk of urgency (adjusted RR=1.94; 95% CI 1.15, 3.29) and hesitancy (adjusted RR=1.78; 95% CI 1.03, 4.19) was greater for women who reported taking medication for constipation at both time points. There was no evidence that constipation was associated with stress UI, urgency UI, mixed UI, nocturia, increased daytime frequency and intermittency.
Conclusion
Constipation is prospectively associated with an increased risk of urgency and hesitancy among parous middle-aged women. If further research finds evidence that this association is causal, this implies that women should seek treatment to alleviate constipation to reduce their consequent risk of developing these LUTS.
To examine the prospective association between constipation and risk of developing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in parous middle-aged women.
Subjects and Methods
The study uses data from 3729 women from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children who provided self-reports of medication intake for constipation at two timepoints (Baseline):2001-2003 and 2003-2005. Women with LUTS at baseline were excluded. After 10 years of follow-up, women provided self-reports of LUTS using an adapted version of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire on Female LUTS. LUTS were categorized according to International Continence Society definitions as stress urinary incontinence [UI], urgency UI, mixed UI, nocturia, increased daytime frequency,
urgency, hesitancy, and intermittency. LUTS were considered present if symptoms were reported to occur at least “sometimes” for all subtypes except for increase daytime frequency (≥ 9 times) and nocturia (≥ 2 times nightly).
Results
At follow-up, the prevalence of any LUTS was 40%. Women (mean age 43.3 years, SD 0.5), who took medication for constipation at either time point had increased risks of urgency (adjusted RR=1.35; 95% CI 1.04, 1.95) and hesitancy (adjusted RR=1.72; 95% CI 1.04, 3.01) compared with women who reported not using medication for constipation at either time point. The risk of urgency (adjusted RR=1.94; 95% CI 1.15, 3.29) and hesitancy (adjusted RR=1.78; 95% CI 1.03, 4.19) was greater for women who reported taking medication for constipation at both time points. There was no evidence that constipation was associated with stress UI, urgency UI, mixed UI, nocturia, increased daytime frequency and intermittency.
Conclusion
Constipation is prospectively associated with an increased risk of urgency and hesitancy among parous middle-aged women. If further research finds evidence that this association is causal, this implies that women should seek treatment to alleviate constipation to reduce their consequent risk of developing these LUTS.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1171-1181 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Women's Health |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| Early online date | 12 Jan 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The United Kingdom Medical Research Council and Wellcome (Grant ref: 217065/Z/19/Z) and the University of Bristol provide core support for Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. This publication is the work of the authors and N.A. will serve as guarantor for the contents of this article. A.F. and M.C.M. are funded by an Medical Research Council (MRC) fellowship to A.F. (MR/M009351/1). A comprehensive list of grants funding is available on the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children website (www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/external/documents/ grant-acknowledgements.pdf). This work was partly supported by the Research Council of Norway through its Centers of Excellence funding scheme, project number 262700.
Publisher Copyright:
© Nour Alhababi et al. 2021; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2021.
Keywords
- LUTS
- constipation
- urinary incontinence
- women's health
- ALSPAC