Catheterization route not linked with bladder-related QOL in people with spina bifida

Bladder catheterization route among adolescents and young adults with spina bifida does not seem to contribute significantly to health-related quality of life (QOL), reveals a study.

While catheterization via channel contributes to fewer bladder symptoms, “only a degree of current bladder symptoms” significantly correlate with bladder-related QOL, according to the authors.

In this retrospective analysis, individuals aged ≥12 years requiring catheterization between June 2019 to March 2020 in a spina bifida centre were administered clinical questionnaires. These questionnaires were completed either in English or Spanish, independently or with caregiver assistance.

The authors reviewed medical records for demographic and clinical characteristics. They used multivariable linear regression models to explore the relationship between catheterization route (urethra or channel), the primary exposure, and questionnaire scores.

Health-related QOL, the primary outcome, was measured by Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Pediatric Global Health 7 (PGH-7). Bladder-related QOL and bladder symptoms, measured by Neurogenic Bladder Symptom Score (NBSS), served as secondary outcomes.

A total of 162 patients required catheterization, of whom 146 completed both the PGH-7 and NBSS. Among eligible patients (median age 17.5 years), 73 percent were catheterized via urethra and 27 percent via channel, 58 percent were female, and 80 percent had myelomeningocele.

Urinary incontinence occurred more frequently among individuals catheterized via urethra than via channel (60 percent vs 33 percent).

Adjusted analyses revealed no significant association between catheterization route and PGH-7 or NBSS bladder-related QOL scores. However, more bladder symptoms correlated with poorer bladder-related QOL. Notably, patients with catheterizations via channel experienced fewer bladder symptoms than those who catheterized through the urethra.