Patient-reported burden and adverse events of urodynamic investigation in adults with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction
Abstract
Urodynamic investigation (UDI) is the gold standard for evaluating refractory lower urinary tract symptoms but may cause pain, emotional discomfort, and adverse events, particularly urinary tract infections. In this secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, adults undergoing UDI for neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction rated pain and emotional discomfort on an 11-point numeric rating scale (0–10), with ≥ 4 defining moderate-to-severe burden; a structured telephone interview at 7–14 days assessed post-procedural adverse events. Among 490 patients, most reported low pain and emotional discomfort (median 2, IQR 0–4 and 0–5). Pain did not differ by sex, whereas emotional discomfort was higher in females (median 2.5 vs 1; p = 0.004). Post-procedural symptoms included pain (30%), worsening lower urinary tract symptoms (18%), and macrohematuria (8%); 99% were transient. Urinary tract infection occurred in 6% and was associated with pre-procedural bacteriuria (OR 6.69; 95% CI 2.15–20.81). Assuming risk equalization, the number needed to treat to prevent one infection was 15 (95% CI 9.6–38.6). In conclusion, UDI is generally well tolerated, although approximately one-third of patients experience moderate-to-severe pain or emotional discomfort. Pre-procedural bacteriuria increases infection risk, but the number needed to treat does not support antibiotic prophylaxis.
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BibTeX
@article{gross2026patientreported,
title = {{Patient-reported burden and adverse events of urodynamic investigation in adults with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction}},
author = {Oliver Gross and Madlen M. E. Kasten and Marian S. Wettstein and Collene E. Anderson and Veronika Birkhäuser and Joëlle Borer and Fabienne Lehner and Martina D. Liechti and Shawna McCallin and Ulrich Mehnert and Raphael Röthlisberger and Helen Sadri and Lara Stächele and Thomas M. Kessler and Lorenz Leitner},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-74931-4},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74931-4},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Patient-reported burden and adverse events of urodynamic investigation in adults with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction
AU - Oliver Gross
AU - Madlen M. E. Kasten
AU - Marian S. Wettstein
AU - Collene E. Anderson
AU - Veronika Birkhäuser
AU - Joëlle Borer
AU - Fabienne Lehner
AU - Martina D. Liechti
AU - Shawna McCallin
AU - Ulrich Mehnert
AU - Raphael Röthlisberger
AU - Helen Sadri
AU - Lara Stächele
AU - Thomas M. Kessler
AU - Lorenz Leitner
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/12
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-74931-4
UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74931-4
AB - Urodynamic investigation (UDI) is the gold standard for evaluating refractory lower urinary tract symptoms but may cause pain, emotional discomfort, and adverse events, particularly urinary tract infections. In this secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, adults undergoing UDI for neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction rated pain and emotional discomfort on an 11-point numeric rating scale (0–10), with ≥ 4 defining moderate-to-severe burden; a structured telephone interview at 7–14 days assessed post-procedural adverse events. Among 490 patients, most reported low pain and emotional discomfort (median 2, IQR 0–4 and 0–5). Pain did not differ by sex, whereas emotional discomfort was higher in females (median 2.5 vs 1; p = 0.004). Post-procedural symptoms included pain (30%), worsening lower urinary tract symptoms (18%), and macrohematuria (8%); 99% were transient. Urinary tract infection occurred in 6% and was associated with pre-procedural bacteriuria (OR 6.69; 95% CI 2.15–20.81). Assuming risk equalization, the number needed to treat to prevent one infection was 15 (95% CI 9.6–38.6). In conclusion, UDI is generally well tolerated, although approximately one-third of patients experience moderate-to-severe pain or emotional discomfort. Pre-procedural bacteriuria increases infection risk, but the number needed to treat does not support antibiotic prophylaxis.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -