Urinary Bladder Detrusor Dysfunction Symptoms in Lyme Disease

PURPOSE Symptoms of urinary bladder detrusor dysfunction have been rarely reported in Lyme disease. The aim was to carry out the first systematic study to compare the prevalence of such symptoms in a group of Lyme disease patients and a group of matched controls. METHODS A questionnaire relating to detrusor function was administered to 17 serologically positive Lyme disease patients and to 18 control subjects. RESULTS The two groups were matched in respect of age, sex, body mass, and mean arterial blood pressure. None of the 35 subjects was taking medication which might affect urinary function and none had undergone a previous operative procedure on the lower urinary tract. Six of the Lyme patients (35%) and none of the controls (0%) had symptoms of detrusor dysfunction (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS This first systematic controlled study confirms that Lyme disease is associated with urinary bladder detrusor dysfunction. Further evaluation of detrusor function is warranted in this disease.