Generalized Sensory Sensitivity in Patients With Urinary Urgency-A LURN II Urinary Urgency Phenotyping Study.
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2026-04
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Abstract
Objectives
To examine generalized sensory sensitivity (GSS) in patients with urinary urgency.Methods
Adult men and women 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. Controls without urgency or incontinence were enrolled. The GSS-Short Form (GSS-SF) questionnaire was used to assess self-reported sensitivity to external environmental stimuli (chemicals, bright lights, and sounds), sensitivity to internal bodily sensations (dry mouth, rapid heart rate, and balance), and the anatomical extent of body pain.Results
Six hundred seventeen cases with urinary urgency and 125 controls were included. Cases had higher total GSS-SF scores (median 2 vs 0, P < .001) compared with controls. For each of the 3 external stimuli and 3 internal sensations, cases were more likely than controls to report heightened sensitivity to environment stimuli and internal bodily sensations. There were significant positive correlations between GSS-SF total scores and OAB-q symptom severity (ρ = 0.23, P < .001), LURN SI-29 urgency subscales (ρ = 0.19, P < .001), and LURN SI-29 incontinence subscales (ρ = 0.21, P < .001). GSS-SF was negatively correlated with OAB-q Health-Related Quality of Life (ρ = -0.24, P < .001).Conclusions
Patients with urinary urgency had higher GSS compared with controls without urgency. Cases with higher GSS scores had more severe OAB symptoms and worse HRQL. These findings suggest a subset of patients with urinary urgency may exhibit global, multisystem hypersensitivity to sensory input. In these individuals, bladder symptoms may represent a manifestation of broader sensory dysregulation rather than an isolated organ-specific pathology.Type
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Lai, H Henry, Alan J Fossa, Brian Bieber, Cindy L Amundsen, J Eric Jelovsek, Anne P Cameron, Catherine Bradley, Karl Kreder, et al. (2026). Generalized Sensory Sensitivity in Patients With Urinary Urgency-A LURN II Urinary Urgency Phenotyping Study. The Journal of urology. p. 101097JU0000000000005061. 10.1097/ju.0000000000005061 Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/34742.
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Scholars@Duke
Cindy Louise Amundsen
- Treatment with a minimally invasive neural modulation system (sacral and posterior tibial nerve) for control of urinary continence
- Application of botox therapy for urinary urge incontinence
- Evaluation and treatment for nocturnal voiding
- Application of nerve stimulation for urinary retention
- Minimally invasive prolapse surgery for pelvic organ prolapse repairs
- Treatment for stress urinary incontinence with minimally invasive techniques
- Evaluation of the urinary microbiome as it relates to recurrent urinary tract infections and lower urinary tract symptoms
John E Jelovsek
Dr. Jelovsek is the F. Bayard Carter Distinguished Professor of OBGYN at Duke University and serves as Director of Data Science for Women’s Health. He is Board Certified in OBGYN by the American Board of OBGYN and in Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery by the American Board of OBGYN and American Board of Urology. He has an active surgical practice in urogynecology based out of Duke Raleigh. He has expertise as a clinician-scientist in developing and evaluating clinical prediction models using traditional biostatistics and machine learning approaches. These “individualized” patient-centered prediction tools aim to improve decision-making regarding the prevention of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and other pelvic floor disorders after childbirth (PMID:29056536), de novo stress urinary incontinence and other patient-perceived outcomes after pelvic organ prolapse surgery, risk of transfusion during gynecologic surgery, and urinary outcomes after mid-urethral sling surgery (PMID: 26942362). He also has significant expertise in leading trans-disciplinary teams through NIH-funded multi-center research networks and international settings. As alternate-PI for the Cleveland Clinic site in the NICHD Pelvic Floor Disorders Network, he was principal investigator on the CAPABLe trial (PMID: 31320277), one of the largest multi-center trials for fecal incontinence studying anal exercises with biofeedback and loperamide for the treatment of fecal incontinence. He was the principal investigator of the E-OPTIMAL study (PMID: 29677302), describing the long-term follow up sacrospinous ligament fixation compared to uterosacral ligament suspension for apical vaginal prolapse. He was also primary author on research establishing the minimum important clinical difference for commonly used measures of fecal incontinence. Currently, he serves as co-PI in the NIDDK Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) (U01DK097780-05) where he has been involved in studies in the development of Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network Symptom Index-29 (LURN SI-29) and LURN SI-10 questionnaires for men and women with LUTS. He is also the site-PI for the PREMIER trial (1R01HD105892): Patient-Centered Outcomes of Sacrocolpopexy versus Uterosacral Ligament Suspension for the Treatment of Uterovaginal Prolapse.
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