Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (921 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Involuntary loss of urine, such as leaking of urine. It is a symptom of various underlying pathological processes. Major types of incontinence include urinary urge incontinence and urinary stress incontinence.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Incontinence, Urinary.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Urination Disorders; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
- Narrower topics
- Urinary Incontinence, Stress; Urinary Incontinence, Urge
- See also
- Incontinence Pads; Urinary Sphincter, Artificial
Related concepts
- Urine
- Urinary Urge Incontinence
- Urinary Stress Incontinence
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 39,125 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Urinary Incontinence” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 6,292 of them (16.1%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 12,514 records.
Reviews account for 5,491 records (14.0%) and meta-analyses for 583. Randomized controlled trials number 2,131 (5.4%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 12,514 |
| 2000-2009 | 9,833 |
| 2010-2019 | 10,486 |
| 2020 onward | 6,292 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 5,491 | 14.0% |
| Meta-analyses | 583 | 1.5% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 2,131 | 5.4% |
Method: PubMed query "Urinary Incontinence"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.
Reading the evidence in kidney, urology and women's health
Kidney, urinary and reproductive health research uses lab markers (such as creatinine), imaging, symptom scores and registry data on pregnancy and birth. Findings about pregnancy are especially sensitive to who was studied and when in pregnancy exposure occurred. Nothing on this page is advice about treatment, fertility or pregnancy; speak to a qualified clinician. Check the population, the outcome measured and whether the study accounted for other health differences between groups.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battle of the artificial intelligence: a comprehensive comparative analysis of DeepSeek and ChatGPT for urinary incontinence-related questions | 2025 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 10 | cc by PMID 40771241 · DOI · PMC12325333 |
| Innovations in Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Narrative Review | 2025 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 8 | cc by PMID 40731901 · DOI · PMC12300791 |
| Performance of ChatGPT and DeepSeek in the Management of Postprostatectomy Urinary Incontinence | 2025 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 7 | cc by PMID 40857549 · DOI · PMC12539877 |
| Symptom Relief and Practice Setting Variation in Bulkamid Injections for Stress Urinary Incontinence | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 2 | cc by PMID 41954212 · DOI · PMC13388004 |
Battle of the artificial intelligence: a comprehensive comparative analysis of DeepSeek and ChatGPT for urinary incontinence-related questions [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundWith the rapid advancement and widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), patients increasingly turn to AI for initial medical guidance.
- Closing excerpt
- Further refinements are necessary before the widespread clinical implementation of AI chatbots in urology.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (288 words)
BackgroundWith the rapid advancement and widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), patients increasingly turn to AI for initial medical guidance. Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation of AI-generated responses is warranted. This study aimed to compare the performance of DeepSeek and ChatGPT in answering urinary incontinence-related questions and to delineate their respective strengths and limitations.MethodsBased on the American Urological Association/Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction (AUA/SUFU) and European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines, we designed 25 urinary incontinence-related questions. Responses from DeepSeek and ChatGPT-4.0 were evaluated for reliability, quality, and readability. Fleiss' kappa was employed to calculate inter-rater reliability. For clinical case scenarios, we additionally assessed the appropriateness of responses. A comprehensive comparative analysis was performed.ResultsThe modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) scores for DeepSeek and ChatGPT-4.0 were 28.24 ± 0.88 and 28.76 ± 1.56, respectively, showing no practically meaningful difference [P = 0.188, Cohen's d = 0.41 (95% CI: -0.15, 0.97)]. Both AI chatbots rarely provided source references. In terms of quality, DeepSeek achieved a higher mean Global Quality Scale (GQS) score than ChatGPT-4.0 (4.76 ± 0.52 vs. 4.32 ± 0.69, P = 0.001). DeepSeek also demonstrated superior readability, as indicated by a higher Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) score (76.43 ± 10.90 vs. 70.95 ± 11.16, P = 0.039) and a lower Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) index (12.26 ± 1.39 vs. 14.21 ± 1.88, P P = 0.651, Cohen's w = 0.083 (95% CI: 0.021, 0.232)].ConclusionDeepSeek and ChatGPT-4.0 might exhibit comparable reliability in answering urinary incontinence-related questions, though both lacked sufficient references. However, DeepSeek outperformed ChatGPT-4.0 in response quality and readability. While both AI chatbots largely adhered to clinical guidelines, occasional deviations were observed. Further refinements are necessary before the widespread clinical implementation of AI chatbots in urology.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40771241 · DOI · PMC12325333
Innovations in Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Narrative Review [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Urinary incontinence is characterized by the involuntary leakage of urine.
- Closing excerpt
- Newer technologies were brought to light in this review, including stem cell therapy and laser therapy.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (206 words)
Urinary incontinence is characterized by the involuntary leakage of urine. The primary cause of stress urinary incontinence in women is the weakening of the pelvic floor muscles. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a significant global health problem that impacts mainly middle-aged women, with a severe impact on their quality of life. Traditional diagnostic methods and treatments often fail, although technological innovations have improved diagnostic accuracy, such as specific questionnaires or transperineal ultrasound. While medical therapies and surgical procedures are continuously being developed, controversies about the correct choices regarding diagnostic and treatment methods continue to exist. The aim of our review was to identify the innovative diagnostic tools and effective treatment procedures for SUI. A narrative review was conducted due to the heterogeneity of the studies. New methods for diagnosis and treatment have gained ground, and we have covered them in our review; however, the field continues to expand. A personalized approach to diagnosis is also a requirement because of the limitations of conventional urodynamic studies, and we emphasize the importance of such personalization in enhancing clinical decision making. Future medical strategies that combine both preventive and therapeutic care are desirable. Newer technologies were brought to light in this review, including stem cell therapy and laser therapy.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40731901 · DOI · PMC12300791
Performance of ChatGPT and DeepSeek in the Management of Postprostatectomy Urinary Incontinence [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- PurposeArtificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve as a tool in clinical decision support.
- Closing excerpt
- However, both models should be used under expert supervision, and future research is needed to optimize their safe integration into clinical workflows.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (218 words)
PurposeArtificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve as a tool in clinical decision support. Large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek, are increasingly used in medicine to provide fast, accessible information. This study aimed to compare the performance of ChatGPT and DeepSeek in generating recommendations for the management of postprostatectomy urinary incontinence (PPUI), based on the AUA/SUFU guideline.Materials and methodsA total of 20 questions (10 conceptual and 10 case-based) were developed by three urologists with expertise in PPUI, following the AUA/SUFU guideline. Each question was submitted in English using zero-shot prompting to ChatGPT-4o and DeepSeek R1. Responses were limited to 200 words and graded independently as correct (1 point), partially correct (0.5), or incorrect (0). Total and domain-specific scores were compared.ResultsChatGPT achieved 19 out of 20 points (95.0%), while DeepSeek scored 14.5 (72.5%; p = 0.031). In conceptual questions, scores were 9.0 (ChatGPT) and 8.0 (DeepSeek; p = 0.50). In case-based scenarios, ChatGPT scored 10.0 versus 6.5 for DeepSeek (p = 0.08). ChatGPT outperformed DeepSeek across all guideline domains. DeepSeek made critical errors in the treatment domain, such as recommending a male sling for radiated patients.ConclusionChatGPT demonstrated superior performance in providing guideline-based recommendations for PPUI. However, both models should be used under expert supervision, and future research is needed to optimize their safe integration into clinical workflows.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40857549 · DOI · PMC12539877
Symptom Relief and Practice Setting Variation in Bulkamid Injections for Stress Urinary Incontinence [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- IntroductionBulkamid™ transurethral injection is a minimally invasive treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and mixed urinary incontinence (MUI).
- Closing excerpt
- Bulkamid™ remains a valuable option for women seeking alternatives to sling surgery.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (209 words)
IntroductionBulkamid™ transurethral injection is a minimally invasive treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and mixed urinary incontinence (MUI). While effective, predictors of repeat injection, progression to sling, and the influence of anesthesia type on treatment efficacy remain incompletely defined.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 284 women who underwent Bulkamid™ injection for SUI/MUI. Baseline demographics, comorbidities, and symptom scores were collected. Outcomes were assessed with paired Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Univariate logistic regression identified predictors of repeat injection and progression to sling. Subgroup analysis compared outcomes by anesthesia use.ResultsThe cohort had a median age of 63.5 years (IQR 50-72) and BMI of 28.3 kg/m² (24.0-31.7). Most were White (82.4%), with 77.8% having SUI and 22.2% MUI. Comorbidities included diabetes (21.1%), hypertension (48.2%), and prior hysterectomy (44.0%). Median follow-up was 6.7 months (IQR 1.1-17.4). Bulkamid™ significantly improved continence and quality-of-life measures. Median pad use decreased from 2.0 to 1.0 per day (p ConclusionsBulkamid™ injection is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive treatment for stress and mixed urinary incontinence, offering significant symptom improvement with low rates of repeat injection and sling conversion. Younger age was associated with progression to sling, while procedures performed without general/sedative anesthesia were associated with higher likelihood of repeat injection. Bulkamid™ remains a valuable option for women seeking alternatives to sling surgery.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41954212 · DOI · PMC13388004
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting urinary continence recovery after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy [5]
- Research article Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women [6]
- Research article Pelvic floor muscle training for preventing and treating urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women [7]
- Research article Urinary incontinence and quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis [8]
- Research article Prevalence and factors related to urinary incontinence in older adults women worldwide: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies [9]
- Research article Long-term Impact of Mode of Delivery on Stress Urinary Incontinence and Urgency Urinary Incontinence: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis [10]
References
- Cao H, Hao C, Zhang T, Zheng X, Gao Z, Wu J, et al.. Battle of the artificial intelligence: a comprehensive comparative analysis of DeepSeek and ChatGPT for urinary incontinence-related questions. . 2025. PMID 40771241 · DOI · PMC12325333
- Szabo T, Mitranovici MI, Moraru L, Costachescu D, Caravia LG, Bernad E, et al.. Innovations in Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Narrative Review. . 2025. PMID 40731901 · DOI · PMC12300791
- Pinto VBP, Ataídes RJC, do Nascimento LAP, Gaspar CB, Alves PF, Pereira MAS, et al.. Performance of ChatGPT and DeepSeek in the Management of Postprostatectomy Urinary Incontinence. . 2025. PMID 40857549 · DOI · PMC12539877
- Sze C, Advano D, Fernandez CM, LaFrance M, Carmel M, Goueli R, et al.. Symptom Relief and Practice Setting Variation in Bulkamid Injections for Stress Urinary Incontinence. . 2026. PMID 41954212 · DOI · PMC13388004
- Ficarra V, Novara G, Rosen RC, Artibani W, Carroll PR, Costello A, et al.. Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting urinary continence recovery after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Eur Urol. 2012. PMID 22749852 · DOI
- Dumoulin C, Cacciari LP, Hay-Smith EJC. Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018. PMID 30288727 · DOI · PMC6516955
- Woodley SJ, Lawrenson P, Boyle R, Cody JD, Mørkved S, Kernohan A, et al.. Pelvic floor muscle training for preventing and treating urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020. PMID 32378735 · DOI · PMC7203602
- Pizzol D, Demurtas J, Celotto S, Maggi S, Smith L, Angiolelli G, et al.. Urinary incontinence and quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2021. PMID 32964401 · DOI · PMC7897623
- Batmani S, Jalali R, Mohammadi M, Bokaee S. Prevalence and factors related to urinary incontinence in older adults women worldwide: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. BMC Geriatr. 2021. PMID 33781236 · DOI · PMC8008630
- Tähtinen RM, Cartwright R, Tsui JF, Aaltonen RL, Aoki Y, Cárdenas JL, et al.. Long-term Impact of Mode of Delivery on Stress Urinary Incontinence and Urgency Urinary Incontinence: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Eur Urol. 2016. PMID 26874810 · DOI · PMC5009182
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.