Overactive bladder is a common syndrome that significantly affects the quality of life. Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread pain, impacting patients' lives. The exact mechanisms of the two syndromes remain unknown, but there is an overlap between the suspected pathophysiologies.
To present an overview of the current research on the association between overactive bladder (OAB) and fibromyalgia.
A systematic search of four electronic databases was conducted.
Studies examining the correlation between OAB and fibromyalgia with female patients aged over 18 years were included.
Two reviewers screened the studies for eligibility. Eligible studies were screened for quality. A meta-analysis was performed for eligible studies.
Seven studies were included in the final review, of which six presented a positive association between the syndromes. The studies demonstrated a positive association between fibromyalgia and the severity of OAB and an adverse effect on the quality of life related to OAB. A mean effect size of 1.96 (95% confidence interval 0.85-3.06) was calculated.
OAB and fibromyalgia are both complex and multifactorial syndromes. The study presents an association between them, but additional studies on the topic should be conducted for a more precise conclusion.
International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics. 2022 May 31 [Epub ahead of print]
Nitzan Goldberg, Shai Tamam, Adi Y Weintraub
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel., Library of Life Sciences and Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel., Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.