A 55-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes mellitus comes to the physician because of a 2-month history of frequent involuntary loss of urine. She has been having difficulty starting and maintaining a urinary stream. . She has multiple daytime episodes of uncontrolled voiding without any sensation of a full bladder. Her only medication is insulin. Physical examination shows a palpable suprapubic mass. Urinalysis is unremarkable. Which of the following additional findings would most likely be present in this patient?

Question

A 55-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes mellitus comes to the physician because of a 2-month history of frequent involuntary loss of urine.  She has been having difficulty starting and maintaining a urinary stream. . She has multiple daytime episodes of uncontrolled voiding without any sensation of a full bladder. Her only medication is insulin. Physical examination shows a palpable suprapubic mass. Urinalysis is unremarkable. Which of the following additional findings would most likely be present in this patient?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Diabetic autonomic neuropathy is common in type 1 diabetics and can cause overflow incontinence due to inability to sense a full bladder and incomplete emptying.  Postvoid residual (PVR) testing with ultrasound or catheterization can confirm inadequate bladder emptying.

A 55-Year-Old Woman with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Comes to the Physician