NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS and DETRUSOR HYPERREFLEXIA

Abstract

In 152 consecutively selected patients with detrusor hyperreflexia (DH), 96 (63%) had neurological disorders. Of the patients, 32 did not show any primary neurological or urological cause for DH. This group was chosen to elucidate possible neurological symptoms in relation to the urological symptomatology. Nine had died and 1 failed to appear to the neurological examination. Of the 22 examined patients, 12 (63%) showed signs of lesions in different parts of the CNS, particularly cerebrovascular diseases and myeloneuropathy. Six had neurological symptoms for years. In 2, the urological symptoms were first to appear. In the group with no neurological complaints the urological symptoms had existed for 2-30 yr. No essential difference was found in the degree of voiding disturbance whether or not neurological signs were disclosed. The discovery of DH should be followed by a neurological examination to disclose further signs of lesions in the CNS. Likewise, an extended urological examination with demonstration of DH might help in the evaluation of an obscure neurological disease.