Patients with Urinary Urgency Have Central Sensitization Symptoms - a LURN II Phenotyping Study

H Henry Lai; Alan J Fossa; Brian Bieber; Cindy L Amundsen; J Eric Jelovsek; Anne P Cameron; Catherine S Bradley; Karl Kreder; Claire C Yang; Alexander Glaser; Victor P Andreev; Kimberly Kenton; J Quentin Clemens; Ziya Kirkali; Steven E Harte

doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000005014

Back

Patients with Urinary Urgency Have Central Sensitization Symptoms - a LURN II Phenotyping Study

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Patients with Urinary Urgency Have Central Sensitization Symptoms - a LURN II Phenotyping Study

H Henry Lai, Alan J Fossa, Brian Bieber, Cindy L Amundsen, J Eric Jelovsek, Anne P Cameron, Catherine S Bradley, Karl Kreder, Claire C Yang, Alexander Glaser, …

The Journal of urology

02/26/2026

DOI: 10.1097/JU.0000000000005014

PMID: 41747105

View Online

Abstract

To examine central sensitization in patients with urinary urgency, with or without urgency urinary incontinence. Adult male and female patients who presented with urinary urgency, with or without urgency incontinence, and seeking treatment for their overactive bladder (OAB) were enrolled in the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) II Study. A control group without urgency or incontinence was also enrolled. Symptoms associated with central sensitization were assessed using the validated self-reported questionnaire Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI). CSI≥40 is associated with a higher likelihood of having central sensitization. 617 cases with urinary urgency and 125 controls without urinary symptoms were included. Cases had higher CSI part A scores compared to controls (median 28.0 versus 15.0). The percentage of participants likely to have central sensitization (CSI≥40) was significantly higher in cases versus controls (21% versus 3.2%, p<0.001). About one-fourth of OAB cases had symptoms consistent with central sensitization with CSI≥40. CSI≥40 was associated with roughly nine times the odds of being an urgency case compared to CSI<40 (odds ratio 9.17, p<0.001). Higher central sensitization scores correlated with more severe OAB (OAB-q symptom severity, ρ=0.30, p<0.001), urgency symptoms (LURN SI-29 subscale, ρ=0.25, p<0.001), incontinence symptoms (LURN SI-29 subscale, ρ=0.24, p<0.001), and worse quality of life (OAB-q HRQL, ρ=-0.40, p<0.001). OAB patients with urinary urgency had more central sensitization symptoms compared to controls. Our data suggested that central sensitization may play a role in at least a subset of patients with urinary urgency, with or without UUI.

Central Sensitization

phenotyping

Overactive Bladder

Details

Title: Subtitle: Patients with Urinary Urgency Have Central Sensitization Symptoms - a LURN II Phenotyping Study
Creators: H Henry Lai - University of Iowa, Urology
Alan J Fossa - Arbor Research Collaborative for Health
Brian Bieber - Arbor Research Collaborative for Health
Cindy L Amundsen - Institute for Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
J Eric Jelovsek - Institute for Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
Anne P Cameron - University of Michigan
Catherine S Bradley - University of Iowa
Karl Kreder - University of Iowa
Claire C Yang - University of Washington
Alexander Glaser - University of Chicago
Victor P Andreev - Arbor Research Collaborative for Health
Kimberly Kenton - Institute for Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
J Quentin Clemens - University of Michigan
Ziya Kirkali - National Institutes of Health
Steven E Harte - Pain and Headache Center
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The Journal of urology
DOI: 10.1097/JU.0000000000005014
PMID: 41747105
NLM abbreviation: J Urol
ISSN: 1527-3792
eISSN: 1527-3792
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 02/26/2026
Academic Unit: Epidemiology; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Urology
Record Identifier: 9985139495802771

Metrics

5 Record Views