The Frequency of Metabolic Syndrome in Aged Female Patients (Older Than 65 Years) With and Without Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Case-Control Study

Objective The aim of the study was to assess the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in aged patients (older than 65 years) with and without stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Methods We evaluated the components of MetS in 460 SUI patients and 460 age-matched women without urinary incontinence from January 2009 to October 2019. Stress urinary incontinence was diagnosed by clinical complaint and the presence of involuntary urine leakage during physical activity. Definition of MetS was on the basis of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III recommendations definition (NCEPATPIII) and the International Diabetes Federation criteria (IDF). Results Totally, 460 SUI patients with the median age of 70 years were eventually included in the study. Subsequently, 460 age-matched controls were selected. The prevalence of MetS was more frequent in SUI patients based on the NCEPATPIII (43.04% vs 19.78%, P < 0.0001) and IDF criteria (45.22% vs 20.22%, P < 0.0001). Moreover, logistic regression analysis revealed that MetS significantly increased the risk of SUI (odds ratio = 3.06, 95% confidence interval = 2.28-4.09) according to the NCEPATPIII definition and (odds ratio = 3.26, 95% confidence interval = 2.43-4.34) on the basis of IDF criteria compared with controls. Patients in the SUI group had a statistically higher body mass index (P < 0.0001), larger waist (P < 0.0001), higher level of fasting blood glucose (P = 0.0001), triglycerides (P = 0.00), and systolic blood pressure (P = 0.0001) than controls. Patients with SUI demonstrated a statistically worse symptom score in all aspects compared with controls (P < 0.0001). Conclusions The prevalence of MetS was higher in older women with SUI than in an age- and sex-matched control group without clinical SUI. Further studies are warranted to determine the pathophysiology mechanism of SUI and MetS.