OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency of urine leakage related to physical fatigue in women presenting with urinary stress incontinence using a specific questionnaire, and to assess its association with the Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms questionnaire and urodynamic findings.

DESIGN: Prospective observational descriptive study. Setting: University hospital (urodynamics laboratory).

PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-one women presenting with urinary stress incontinence and 10 continent women. Interventions: Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The participants underwent urethral pressure profile measurement and completed a Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms questionnaire and a specific questionnaire focused on urine leakage related to physical fatigue.

RESULTS: Twenty-three (37%) women with urinary stress incontinence claimed to exhibit urine leakage related to physical fatigue more often than one third of the time and 47% claimed to exhibit urinary leakage only after more than one cough. There was a positive correlation between the findings of the specific questionnaire and the presence of a sharp decrease in urethral pressure following repeated cough efforts: question #1 (P = 0.02); question #2 (P = 0.00002); question #3 (P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION: There is a strong association between this questionnaire focused on urine leakage related to fatigue and the presence of a decrease in urethral pressure following repeated coughs.

About the Authors

Deffieux X, Hubeaux K, Dick J, Ismael SS, Raibaut P, Amarenco G. (2009) Urine leakage related to physical fatigue in women with urinary stress incontinence. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2009 Aug;35(4):738-45. National Institute for Health and Medical Research, U731, Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris, France.