RESUMEN
PURPOSE: Despite the importance of alterations in bladder sensation, objective metrics to characterize sensation outside of urodynamics remain limited. A real-time sensation meter enables recording of sensation event descriptors throughout filling. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences in sensation event descriptor patterns between normal participants and those with OAB. METHODS: Normal and OAB participants were enrolled from responses to the ICIq-OAB survey question on urgency (Q5a: 0 vs. ≥ 3). Real-time bladder sensation on a 0%-100% scale was recorded on a validated tablet sensation meter throughout two fill-void cycles. The first and second fills were considered "slow" and "fast" respectively. After each sensation meter change (sensation event), a pop-up screen asked participants to characterize sensation with one or more of these descriptors: "tense," "pressure," "tingling," "painful," and/or "other." Oral hydration was achieved by rapid consumption of 2L G2® Gatorade. RESULTS: Data from 29 participants (12 normal/17 OAB) were analyzed. The rate of filling from bladder volume and fill duration, was greater for the fast fill in both groups. In the slow fill, "tingling" (64 ± 3% OAB vs. 77 ± 3% normal, p=0.008) and "tense" (78 ± 3% OAB vs. 94 ± 1% normal, p<0.001) occurred at lower sensations in OAB participants. CONCLUSION: During only the slow fill, OAB individuals experience the sensation descriptors of "tingling" and "tense" at earlier sensations than normal individuals. Therefore, this non-invasive method to evaluate real-time sensation descriptors during filling may identify important sensation patterns and improve understanding and phenotyping of OAB.
RESUMEN
AIMS: There is currently no standardized method of characterizing changes in bladder sensation during bladder filling outside of the urodynamics laboratory. The purpose of this investigation was to characterize real-time bladder sensation events using a sensation meter during oral hydration in individuals with normal bladder function. METHODS: Participants enrolled in an accelerated hydration study drank 2 L Gatorade-G2® and utilized a sensation meter to record real-time bladder sensation (0-100%), verbal sensory thresholds, and sensation descriptors of "tense," "pressure," "tingling," "painful," and "other" for two consecutive fill-void cycles. RESULTS: Data from 21 participants (12 females/9 males) were obtained and demonstrated an average of 8-9 sensation events (significant changes in sensation) per fill with no differences in the total number of sensation events and volume between sensation events (fill 1 vs fill 2). An increased number of sensation events occurred at higher capacity quartiles. Event descriptors of "pressure" and "tingling" were the most commonly chosen descriptors in both fills. CONCLUSIONS: The innovative sensation meter includes the sensation event descriptors of "tense," "tingling," "pressure," and "painful," to enable a more comprehensive understanding of bladder sensation as well as real-time identification, quantification, and characterization of sensation events. The study demonstrates 8-9 events per fill, acceleration of sensation during filling, and unique sensation event descriptor patterns. This technology may be helpful in the identification of novel sensation patterns associated with overactive bladder (OAB) and aging.