Systematic review and meta-analysis of urinary incontinence prevalence and population estimates

Introduction: Incontinence impacts the quality-of-life of people suffering from the disease. However, there is limited information on the prevalence of incontinence due to the stigma, lack of awareness, and underdiagnosis.

Objective: This study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of overactive bladder (OAB) and nonobstructive urinary retention (NOUR).

Methods: The authors conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines using Embase, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases to identify the relevant publications in the English language. Two reviewers independently assessed the articles and extracted the data. Review papers were assessed for content and references. A meta-analysis of proportions was conducted using the RStudio software. To address the age heterogeneity, a subanalysis was conducted. Pooled data were overlayed on the Canadian population and a sample of 10 populous countries to estimate the number of people suffering from incontinence.

Results: Twenty-eight and eight articles were selected for OAB and NOUR, respectively. The pooled prevalence of OAB in men and women was 12% (95% CI: 9%-16%) and 15% (95% CI: 12%-18%), respectively. The estimated prevalence of NOUR was 15.6%-26.1% of men over 60 and 9.3%-20% of women over 60. The subanalysis pooled prevalence of OAB in men and women was 11% (95% CI: 8%-15%) and 12% (95% CI: 9%-16%), respectively. We estimated that 1.4-2.5 million women and 1.3-2.2 million men suffer from OAB in Canada.

Conclusion: Urinary incontinence is an under-reported and underdiagnosed prevalent condition that requires appropriate treatment to improve a patient's quality-of-life.