Associations Between Risk Factors and Overactive Bladder: A Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors of overactive bladder (OAB). METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were retrieved through May 2016. Odds ratios (OR) or standard mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the associations between risk factors and OAB. Heterogeneity among studies was examined using χ test based on the Q and I tests. RESULTS: A total of 28 articles were analyzed in our study. The results suggested that age and body mass index were significantly higher in OAB patients than in non-OAB controls (SMDs [95% CIs], 0.30 [0.19-0.41] and 0.39 [0.24-0.53]). A significant negative association was found between employment status and OAB (OR [95% CIs], 0.64 [0.46-0.90]). However, sex, educational level, parity, vaginal delivery, race, menopause, marital status, smoking, and alcohol consumption were not significantly different in OAB and non-OAB control patients (ORs [95% CIs], 0.95 [0.59-1.55], 1.04 [0.82, 1.33], 0.98 [0.56-1.70], 1.66 [0.90-3.07], 0.98 [0.75-1.28], 1.84 [0.23-14.70], 0.97 [0.78-1.19], 0.91 [0.77-1.08], and 0.88 [0.71-1.09], respectively). In addition, the number of parities and vaginal deliveries in OAB patients also showed no significant differences compared with non-OAB control patients (SMDs [95% CI], 0.05 [-0.27 to 0.38] and -0.16 [0.40 to 0.09]). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggests that age and body mass index are associated with increased risks of OAB, whereas employment status is associated with a decreased risk of OAB. Further prospective studies with large sample sizes are needed to confirm this conclusion.