Association between random blood glucose, HbA1c levels and severity of urinary incontinence in older adults: An observational, cross‑sectional and correlation‑based approach using the ICIQ‑UI short form

Urinary incontinence, the involuntary leakage of urine, is a common, yet underreported issue among older adults, with its prevalence markedly increasing with age and often leading to a loss of independence, social withdrawal and psychological distress. Diabetes mellitus is considered to aggravate urinary incontinence via neuropathy, impaired bladder innervation and detrusor dysfunction. Although random blood glucose (RBG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) are widely used markers of glycemic control, their direct association with incontinence severity has not yet been fully established, particularly in elderly Asian populations. The present observational, cross‑sectional and correlation‑based study evaluated the association between RBG, HbA1c and the severity of urinary incontinence using the International Consultant Incontinence Questionnaire‑Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ‑UISF). A total of 100 elderly patients (≥60 years of age; 52 males and 48 females; median age, 66 years) were recruited for the present study. The median RBG level was 274 mg/dl and the median HbA1c level was 8.50%. Among the participants, 82% reported urinary incontinence (36% patients had severe incontinence, 24% had moderate incontinence, 12% had mild incontinence and 10% had very severe incontinence). Small‑volume leakage was most common (55%), and 36% of patients rated their quality‑of‑life impact as maximal (score, 10). Spearman's correlation analysis did not reveal any significant correlation between RBG and ICIQ‑UISF scores (ρ=‑0.016, P=0.877) or between HbA1c and ICIQ‑UISF scores (ρ=0.047, P=0.641), whereas age demonstrated a weak, yet significant positive correlation with ICIQ‑UISF scores (ρ=0.242, P=0.015). On the whole, these findings suggest that urinary incontinence in older adults is influenced to a greater extent by an age‑related physiological decline than glycemic markers, underscoring the multifactorial nature of the condition and highlighting the importance of comprehensive geriatric assessment and the exploration of additional predictors in future studies.