OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between blood glucose level and the prevalence and frequency of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study of female participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database between 2007 and 2016. Dose-response analysis curves and univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to determine the relationship between blood glucose level and the prevalence and frequency of SUI.

RESULTS

A total of 10,771 participants were included in this study, of which 6,466 (60.0%) reported no SUI, 4,305 (31.1%) reported monthly SUI, and 953 (8.8%) reported weekly SUI. We found that the blood glucose levels were higher in the weekly SUI group than in the monthly SUI and no SUI groups. Based on blood glucose levels, participants were divided into 3 groups: ≤86.0 mg/dL group, >86.0 to 98.0 mg/dL group, and >98.0 mg/dL group. Dose-response curves showed a nonlinear positive correlation between blood glucose levels and the prevalence and extent of SUI, and participants in the glucose >98.0 mg/dL group had a 15.2% higher risk (adjusted odds risk, 1.152; 95% confidence interval, 1.027-1.293; P = 0.016) of SUI prevalence and 12.5% higher risk (adjusted odds risk 1.125; 95% confidence interval, 1.009-1.255; P = 0.034) of SUI frequency than participants in the glucose ≤86.0 mg/dL group.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that the prevalence and frequency of SUI in women were positively correlated with blood glucose levels, and these findings warrant further study and application to clinical practice to control SUI in women.