Stress Urinary Incontinence

Differential Diagnosis of Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
and Urge Urinary Incontinence (UUI)
Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) Urge Urinary Incontinence (UUI)
Symptoms Involuntary loss of urine associated with sneezing, coughing, laughing, lifting, or exercising Involuntary leakage accompanied by or immediately preceded by urgency
Causes Insufficient urethral closure Uncontrolled bladder contractions
Receptors Serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) receptors Cholinergic muscarinic receptors
Common Diagnostic Indicators More likely to be SUI:
Leaks urine upon sneezing, coughing, laughing, lifting, or exercising
Positive cough stress test
Positive stress pad test
More likely to be UUI:
Leaks urine accompanied by urgency, or uncontrollable voiding with little or no warning beforehand
Negative cough stress test
Negative stress pad test

Urodynamic Diagnosis Results of urodynamic studies indicative of SUI
Results of urodynamic studies indicative of UUI