ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To compare autonomic dysfunction in patients with urge urinary incontinence(UUI), patients with stress urinary incontinence(SUI) and normal group, we measured and analyzed heart rate variability to compare among the three groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied heart rate variability(HRV) in 30 patients with UUI(mean age, 47.7+/-10.0 years old), 40 patients with SUI(mean age, 47.6+/-8.7 years old), 120 healthy controls(mean age 45.2+/-6.9 years old). The parameters of HRV of the three groups were compared. RESULTS: There was no difference in uroflowmetry and heart rate among the three groups. In time domain, square root of the mean squared difference of successive N-N interval(RMSSD) in UUI was higher than that of the others, and standard deviation of N-N interval(SDNN) showed no difference. In frequency domain, low frequency(LF) in UUI, an indicator of cardiac sympathetic tone, was higher than thar of the others. Very low frequency(VLF), LF, low-frequency/high-frequency ratio(LF/HF ratio) didn't show difference. CONCLUSION: All parameters of HRV analysis in UUI were not same as those of SUI and controls. The increase in RMSSD and HF means that there could be imbalance in autonomic nervous system and it could be the cause of detrusor overactivity in UUI.