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Neurogenic Causes of Detrusor Underactivity

  • Neurogenic Bladder (CR Powell, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Detrusor underactivity (DU) is a poorly understood dysfunction of the lower urinary tract which arises from multiple etiologies. Symptoms of DU are non-specific, and a pressure-flow urodynamic study is necessary to differentiate DU from other conditions such as overactive bladder (OAB) or bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). The prevalence of DU ranges from 10 to 48 %, and DU is most prevalent in elderly males. The pathophysiology underlying DU can be from both neurogenic and non-neurogenic causes. In this article, we review the neurogenic causes of detrusor underactivity, including diabetic bladder dysfunction, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, cerebrovascular accident, traumatic brain injury, and Fowler’s syndrome. As knowledge about the underlying causes of DU advances, there have been several potential therapeutic approaches proposed to help those who suffer from this condition.

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Compliance with Ethics Guidelines

Funding

This study received support provided in part from NIH/NIDDK grant DK093424.

Conflict of Interest

B.T. Kadow: none; P. Tyagi: none; C.J. Chermansky: Although I am a co-investigator on 2 grants and a site PI on a multi-center industry trial, none is directly related to the material presented in this paper.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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  1. Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 300 Halket St, Suite 4710, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Brian T. Kadow, Pradeep Tyagi & Christopher J. Chermansky

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  1. Brian T. Kadow
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  2. Pradeep Tyagi
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  3. Christopher J. Chermansky
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Correspondence to Christopher J. Chermansky.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Neurogenic Bladder

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Kadow, B.T., Tyagi, P. & Chermansky, C.J. Neurogenic Causes of Detrusor Underactivity. Curr Bladder Dysfunct Rep 10, 325–331 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11884-015-0331-6

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