Unnoticed post-void residual urine volume in people with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities: prevalence and risk factors

• Published in: Journal of intellectual disability research 2009-09, Vol.53 (9), p.772-779
• Main Authors: De Waal, K. H., Tinselboer, B. M., Evenhuis, H. M., Penning, C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Adults; Age Differences; Age Distribution; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; At Risk Persons; Biological and medical sciences; bladder; Chronic Illness; Chronic illnesses; Constipation - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diagnostic Tests; Disabled people; Drug Therapy; Epilepsy - epidemiology; Feasibility; Feasibility Studies; Female; Gender Differences; Geriatrics; Humans; Incidence; Intellectual deficiency; Intellectual Disability; Intellectual Disability - epidemiology; Learning disabilities; Male; Medical sciences; Mental Retardation; Middle Aged; Multiple Disabilities; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Netherlands - epidemiology; Prevalence; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychomotor Skills; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Risk; Risk Factors; Screening; Severe Disabilities; Severe Intellectual Disability; Severity (of Disability); Severity of Illness Index; Sex Distribution; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Ultrasonography; Urinary Bladder - diagnostic imaging; Urinary Retention - epidemiology; Urinary system involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous; Urinary tract. Prostate gland; urination disorders; Urine; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0964-2633; 1365-2788
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2009.01190.x

Background  Increased post‐void residual urine volume (PVR) is often seen in geriatric populations. People with intellectual disabilities (ID) have risk factors in common with these populations. Aims  To investigate in adults with ID: •  Feasibility of portable ultrasound bladder scanning; •  Prevalence of PVR; and •  Relations with proposed risk factors for PVR. Methods  In a cross‐sectional design, PVR was measured using ultrasound scanning in 346 adults with moderate to severe ID aged 18–82 years. Relationship between increased PVR and the following risk factors was assessed: age, level of ID, gender, ambulancy, medication, chronic illnesses, incontinence and profound multiple disabilities (PMD). Acceptation of scanning and manageability were noted. Results  Feasibility: All participants were cooperatively undergoing the ultrasound scan and all outcomes were sufficiently interpretable. Prevalence: PVR ≥ 150 mL was newly identified in 30/346 persons (8.7%, 95% confidence interval 5.92–12.14). Associations: Higher age (P = 0.001), laxative use (P = 0.001), chronic illnesses other than epilepsy (P = 0.005), profound ID (P = 0.008), incontinence (P = 0.048) and immobility (P = 0.005) are determinants that were associated with urinary retention. Conclusions  The bladder ultrasound scan is a feasible method to identify increased PVR in adults with more severe levels of ID. The prevalence of PVR in adults is similar to prevalences found in the geriatric general population.