Continuous Monitoring of Bladder Dysfunction in People With Multiple Sclerosis: Wearables for the Bladder

Abstract

Background

Bladder dysfunction affects over 85% of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), yet current assessment methods are limited to periodic in-clinic evaluations or subjective patient reports, failing to capture real-world symptom fluctuations.

Objectives

To evaluate the feasibility and validity of using a novel remote bladder ultrasound device for home monitoring of bladder dysfunction in PwMS, comparing remote measurements with standard clinical assessments.

Methods

Twenty-two women with MS participated in this 3-month pilot study. Participants were asked to use the wearable ultrasound device at home for at least 3–5 days a month. Remote device measurements were compared with standard clinical data for post-void residual (rPVR vs. cPVR) and urinary frequency (rFrequency vs. 3-day bladder diary frequency). Agreement between measures was assessed using Bland–Altman analyses and correlation coefficients.

Results

Participants were middle-aged (mean 51.5 years; SD 9.3) with mild–moderate disability (median EDSS 4.0) and mostly relapsing MS (72.7%). Study retention was high (86.4%; 19/22), with mean device utilization of 14.1 days. Good agreement was seen between rPVR and cPVR (mean difference = 32.1 mL, SD = 38.6; 95% limits of agreement: −43.6, 107.9). The rFrequency measure also demonstrated a strong correlation with patient-reported frequency (ICC = 0.81, Pearson's r = 0.793, p = 0.002). Visualization of remote monitoring data revealed substantial day-to-day variability in bladder symptoms not captured by traditional assessments.

Conclusion

This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility and preliminary validity of using wearable ultrasound technology for remote monitoring of bladder dysfunction in PwMS. The ability to capture real-world symptom variations could transform assessment and management approaches, enabling more personalized and responsive care strategies.