BACKGROUND: Patients with neurologic diseases often have neurogenic detrusor 
overactivity (NDO), which can result in a loss of voluntary bladder control and 
uncontrollable urinary incontinence (UI).The impact of UI due to NDO on 
patients' lives has not been well studied. The objective of this review was to 
assess the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and economic burden in 
patients with urgency UI due to NDO in select countries in North America, the 
European Union, Asia, and Australia.
METHODS: Systematic literature searches and reviews of articles published in 
English (January 2000 to February 2011) were conducted using MEDLINE®, EMBASE®, 
and the Cochrane Library. Studies assessing the impact of UI on HRQoL of 
patients with an underlying neurologic condition of interest (i.e., multiple 
sclerosis, spinal cord injury, Parkinson's disease, stroke, or spina bifida) 
were included. Economic studies in urgency UI also were included.
RESULTS: Of 876 citations generated in the initial search, a total of 27 
articles were deemed relevant: 16 articles presented HRQoL data and 11 articles 
presented information on the economic burden of UI. Humanistic studies used a 
range of HRQoL instruments to measure HRQoL burden, and the economic studies 
included different cost components to quantify the economic burden, making 
meaningful comparisons challenging. Despite this heterogeneity, the literature 
suggests that HRQoL in patients with UI due to NDO is worse than patients with 
UI in general or those with the same underlying neurologic condition without UI. 
In addition, urgency UI also results in substantial economic costs.
CONCLUSIONS: Incontinent patients with underlying neurologic conditions have 
impaired HRQoL as well as substantial economic burden attributable to UI due to 
NDO. There is a need for urgency UI treatments that improve HRQoL of these 
patients and alleviate the economic burden of this condition.