Distress from lower urinary tract symptoms and its effect on the quality of life in Swedish men

Abstract

Background Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common in men and while symptoms have been described as being associated with distress, less attention has been paid to Quality of Life (QoL). The aim of this study was to describe how distress from LUTS affects QoL in men. Methods The study included 1008, 40–80 year-old, men living in a municipality in Sweden. Participants completed the SF-36 Health Survey and the Danish Prostatic Symptom Score (DAN-PSS). The SF-36 questionnaire measures health status in eight general areas and the DAN-PSS questionnaire measures severity, frequency and distress resulting from LUTS. Results In all, 63% of the men reported that they experienced some degree of distress related to LUTS. The mean SF-36 scores were significantly lower in all the dimensions evaluated among men who experienced low distress from nocturia, daytime frequency, straining and post micturition dribbling than among men without distress from these symptoms. Furthermore, men with low distress from weak stream reported lower SF-36 scores for all evaluated dimensions except for physical functioning (PF) than men without distress from weak stream. Men with moderate/major distress from incomplete emptying had a decreased QoL compared to men with low distress from incomplete emptying. Conclusions Distress from lower urinary tract symptoms reduced QoL in men. Even when low distress is experienced, QoL is reduced. Identification of the distress impact on QoL is warranted to restore QoL, but also to identify optimal treatment.