LOWER URINARY-TRACT DYSFUNCTION IN PARKINSONS-DISEASE - CHANGES RELATE TO AGE AND NOT DISEASE

Lower urinary tract symptoms are frequently reported in Parkinson's disease. Whether these are causally related to Parkinson's disease rather than the known effects of age on the urinary tract is unknown. In this study we compared urodynamic data from 1864 women and 357 men with no neurological disease with data from 34 women and 42 men with Parkinson's disease, 96 women and 75 men with cerebrovascular disease and 42 women and 16 men with dementia. We examined isometric and isotonic detrusor contractile function and urethral outflow. Bladder capacity was reduced in both men and women with Parkinson's disease in comparison with patients of similar age without neurological disease. Isometric and isotonic detrusor contractile function were similar to that measured in patients of the same age without neurological disease. Urethral outflow function also was similar to that in patients without neurological disease and we found no evidence of obstruction in patients with Parkinson's disease. Disease-specific changes were not identified in patients with cerebrovascular disease or dementia. These findings contradict previous reports suggesting specific changes in lower urinary tract function in association with Parkinson's disease.