[Urinary incontinence after apoplexy].

In a retrospective study, based upon doctors' and nurses' case records, urinary incontinence (UI) and its relation to the severity of strokes was studied in 156 stroke patients discharged from the department of neurology, Bispebjerg Hospital in 1988. A significant relationship was found between the presence of UI and stroke severity measured by length of hospital stay, circumstances of discharge and mobility (p < 0.0001). 44% of patients had some urinary incontinence on admission and on discharge 26% still had UI. Surprisingly, however, information about incontinence appeared in only 10% of doctors' records, whereas nurses, records had the relevant information concerning as many as 90% of patients. It appears that urinary incontinence in stroke patients has a low priority among doctors.