Prevalence of stress urinary incontinence and urge urinary incontinence in multiples sclerosis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Urinary incontinence (UI), encompassing stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urge urinary incontinence (UUI), is a prevalent and debilitating condition in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), profoundly impacting their quality of life. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to elucidate the worldwide prevalence rates of SUI and UUI among MS patients. This study was conducted by examining observational studies published between 2000 and 2023. An exhaustive literature search was conducted across databases such as PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar. The Meta-prop method facilitated pooled prevalence estimation of UUI and SUI, while Egger tests assessed publication bias. In total, 27 studies with 15,052 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The findings revealed a high random effect pooled prevalence of UUI at 41.02% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 30.57–51.89; I² = 99%, p < 0.001) and SUI at 25.67% (95% CI: 19.30–32.58%; I² = 94.9%, P < 0.001). Additionally, the pooled prevalence of mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) was reported at 18.81% (95% CI: 7.55–33.48; I²:95.44%, p < 0.001). The high heterogeneity observed suggests variable prevalence across populations and highlights the intricate nature of UI in MS. These findings underscore the critical need for dedicated supportive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative interventions to manage this common complaint in MS patients effectively.