Bladder Function in Healthy Elderly Males

Bladder function was studied in 20 healthy elderly male volunteers using cystometry, uroflowmetry and voiding cystourethrography. Two persons were excluded from the study as neurological examination had shown evidence of organic neurological disease, and one person did not complete the study. 53% of the remaining 17 persons had detrusor hyperreflexia. Urinary flow rates were reduced and maximal intravesical pressures elevated in the persons studied, although they claimed to have a normal voiding pattern. No correlation was found between the reduction of urinary flow rate respectively increase in maximal intravesical pressure and the presence of detrusor hyperreflexia. The high incidence of detrusor reflex disturbances thus suggests that incipient infravesical obstruction in old age and possible subclinical impairment of the central nervous control of the micturition reflex are major etiological factors in detrusor hyperreflexia.