According to reports millions of people with bladder weakness may finally be spared embarrassment thanks to new diagnostic test. One in five people have an overactive bladder, which means having to go to the toilet often or suffering leakages. Now scientists are a step closer in the development of a 'game-changer' test which will diagnose the problem quicker. They have identified chemicals in the urine caused by an overactive bladder, which could be picked up by something similar to a pregnancy test. Diagnosing an overactive bladder is a cumbersome process because its symptoms are similar to other disorders, leading to a range of costly tests. But getting treatment with speed would stop the condition worsening. It's not uncommon for patients to end up wearing sanitary towels in their underwear to deal with leakages.
Dr John Young and Dr Sepinoud Firouzmand, both in the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences at University of Portsmouth, published their research in Nature's Scientific Reports. Using 95 participants referred to the Urology Department at the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Dr Young and colleagues found patients with overactive bladders had more of the chemical ATP in their urine. If clinical trials bear out the development, the test would allow treatment for the condition to begin much earlier. The device, which patients would urinate on like a pregnancy test, is a year or two from clinical trials, but the early signs are encouraging.
