Association of decreased grip strength with lower urinary tract symptoms in women: a cross‐sectional study from Korea

Abstract

Background Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) including frequency, nocturia, urgency, and incontinence, are common in women and cause significant discomfort in daily life. However, diagnosis and treatment of LUTS are often delayed because many patients with such symptoms do not complain to the physician of discomfort and do not seek medical attention. LUTS are known to be associated with muscle weakness. We investigated the association between grip strength and LUTS in women of different ages. Methods This study included 4225 women (mean age 48.6 years) who underwent self-referred health screening between April 2015 and December 2019. LUTS were evaluated using a self-reported questionnaire, and the overactive bladder symptom score was used to screen for an overactive bladder. Low muscle strength was defined as a hand grip strength of < 18 kg (decreased grip strength). Results We observed decreased grip strength in 13.7% (n = 580) of the participants. Nocturia, urgency, incontinence, and overactive bladder were more common in women with decreased grip strength than in women with normal grip strength. After adjusting for age, comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia), smoking status, alcohol consumption, regular exercise, and stress, nocturia (odds ratio [OR] 1.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.52), urinary incontinence (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.01–1.72), and an overactive bladder (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.35–2.27) were significantly associated with decreased grip strength. Conclusions The findings suggest that LUTS, especially nocturia, incontinence, and an overactive bladder are associated with decreased grip strength in women. Therefore, physicians should be aware that patients may not seek help, even if they are uncomfortable, and it is important to obtain a detailed medical history and perform additional tests, even in the absence of complaints, in patients with low grip strength, who are at high risk of LUTS.

What is the impact of a multi‐component exercise intervention on the cure rate of urinary incontinence among older women living in the community?

“…While low grip strength in women is associated with UI, 105 this SR analysis showed grip strength had increased slightly after the intervention, but not significantly.…”

Personality traits and the risk of urinary incontinence: Evidence from three longitudinal samples

“…33 Higher neuroticism, lower extraversion and lower conscientiousness are also associated with lower muscular strength, indexed by grip strength, 34 which has been related to higher likelihood of UI. 35 Finally, the observed associations may partly reflect the different coping styles associated with these personality traits. That is, higher neuroticism, lower extraversion and lower conscientiousness may be related to less efficient coping with UI.…”

“…Higher neuroticism and lower conscientiousness, for example, are associated with higher inflammation, 32 which in turn is related to overactive bladder 33 . Higher neuroticism, lower extraversion and lower conscientiousness are also associated with lower muscular strength, indexed by grip strength, 34 which has been related to higher likelihood of UI 35 . Finally, the observed associations may partly reflect the different coping styles associated with these personality traits.…”

Recurrent lower urinary tract infections: more than an infection for older women

“…That study was carried out only with diabetic patients and it assessed the effect of UTIs on sarcopenia. A study that included female participants with a mean age of 48.6 revealed that low HGS was an independent variable predicting urinary tract symptoms such as nocturia, incontinence, and overactive bladder [ 14 ]. According to a cohort study with a mean age of 80.1 years, although low gait speed was an independent risk factor for severe overactive bladder, HGS was not [ 44 ].…”

“…Sarcopenia increases the risk of infections in hospitalized patients, as well as in the community [ 12 , 13 ]. Hand grip strength (HGS), an important component of the diagnosis of sarcopenia, was found to decline in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms [ 14 ]. Likewise, polypharmacy, a common problem in older age due to increasing comorbidities, is a potential risk factor that negatively affects treatment efficiency in cases of LUTIs [ 6 ].…”