A Cross Sectional Study of Cytokines in Women with Refractory Detrusor Overactivity versus Controls

Kylie J Mansfield; Zhuoran Chen; Samantha Ognenovska; Nancy Briggs; Ronald Sluyter; Kate H Moore

doi:10.1007/s00192-024-05999-7

A Cross Sectional Study of Cytokines in Women with Refractory Detrusor Overactivity versus Controls

Int Urogynecol J. 2024 Nov 19. doi: 10.1007/s00192-024-05999-7. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Kylie J Mansfield¹, Zhuoran Chen², Samantha Ognenovska², Nancy Briggs³, Ronald Sluyter⁴, Kate H Moore²

Affiliations

¹ Graduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia. kylie@uow.edu.au.
² Department of Urogynaecology, St George Hospital, University of New South Wales, Kogarah, NSW, Australia.
³ University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia.
⁴ Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.

PMID: 39560765
DOI: 10.1007/s00192-024-05999-7

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis: Previous work has suggested that refractory detrusor overactivity (DO) was commonly associated with urinary tract infection (UTI), which can lead to inflammatory changes in the bladder. This study aimed to investigate the concentrations of urinary cytokines in a large sample of women with refractory detrusor overactivity (DO) and age matched controls.

Methods: The urinary concentration of 27 cytokines in 140 women (95 with refractory DO and 45 age matched controls (women without urge incontinence)) was determined using the Human Cytokine 27-plex Assay. Cytokine concentrations were correlated with a "UTI score", the presence or absence of bacteriuria or pyuria on the day of sample collection and a previous history of UTI.

Results: Pro-inflammatory cytokines were increased in refractory DO women compared to the controls. In women with refractory DO, the UTI score significantly correlated with urinary cytokine concentrations in 15 of the 22 cytokines detected. A previous history of UTI did not affect urinary cytokine concentrations in refractory DO women with no current UTI. Increasing pyuria was associated with increasing concentrations of urinary cytokines.

Conclusion: Careful comparison of cytokine concentrations in women with refractory DO versus age matched controls has shown that changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines are related to the UTI disease burden, suggesting that an underlying inflammatory response, together with UTI, may be an aetiological contributor to the development of refractory DO.

Keywords: Cytokine; Inflammation; Pyuria; Refractory detrusor overactivity; Urinary tract infection.