Exploring the role of urinary brain-derived neurotrophic factor in diagnosis and follow-up of overactive bladder in women: A prospective analytical study in a tertiary care center experience

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common clinical manifestation of voiding dysfunction. It is a symptom-based condition. A new accurate, objective, and noninvasive test to diagnose OAB and assess therapeutic outcomes is lacking. The study aimed to asses the use of the urinary biomarker: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as a non-invasive diagnostic and follow-up tool. This prospective analytical study was conducted in the urology department, cairo university hospitals. A total of 96 women were included in the study and distributed into two groups: Group A with OAB ( n =48) and Group B (control group, n =48). The mean urinary BDNF/creatinine ratio in the OAB group was 15.2 (standard deviation [SD] 5.9), ranging from 5.1 to 24.2, whereas the mean urinary BDNF/creatinine ratio in the control group was 5.6 (SD 2.7), ranging from 1.1 to 10.0, with a statistically significant difference between groups (independent sample t -test, p =0). Following a 3-month treatment period using solifenacin, a statistically significant reduction was found in the urinary BDNF/creatinine of the OAB group to a mean of 8.2 (SD 3.7), ranging from 2.2 to 14.7 (paired sample t -test, p <0.001). BDNF can be used to assess the presence of OAB and follow up the course of OAB as a supplementary tool to clinical assessment and urodynamics.