Overactive bladder and cognitive impairment in adults aged 60 and over: A cross-sectional study

The elderly frequently experience a prevalent condition known as overactive bladder (OAB). There have been indications of a possible association with a decrease in cognitive function. This research examined the association between OAB and cognitive abilities in the older population. For this research, we gathered information from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2011 to 2014. Multiple linear regression analysis was utilized to examine the relationship between OAB and cognitive performance in older individuals in the United States. Cognitive abilities were assessed through the digit symbol substitution test (DSST), the animal fluency test (AFT), and the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD). The study comprised 2807 older adults who were 60 years old or older. In the initial crude model (Model 1), OAB exhibited a significant association with cognitive decline. The β-coefficients for the CERAD.word learning AFT and the DSST were -1.60 (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: -2.10, -1.10), -1.71 (95% CI: -2.13, -1.28), and -7.85 (95% CI: -9.16, -6.54), respectively. Furthermore, after adjustments (Model 3), the relationship persisted unchanged (CERAD.word learning: β = -0.62, P = .0099; AFT: β = -0.57, P = .0042; DSST: β = -2.84, P < .0001). In conclusion, our study, which involved a nationally representative cohort of elderly individuals from the United States, revealed a positive association between OAB and cognitive decline.