Does the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome improve lower urinary tract symptoms?

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and to determine if the symptoms improved after treatment for OSAS. Materials and methods: In all, 145 male patients were diagnosed with OSAS via polysomnography and evaluated for lower urinary tract symptoms using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). All of the patients were evaluated by an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist. Surgery or continuous positive airway pressure treatment was recommended based on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and ENT examination results. Only 23 of the patients that were available for follow-up during treatment were included in the study. The IPSS form was administered after treatment and symptom scores were updated for the 23 patients. The age range of the 23 patients was 26-65 years. The Wilcoxon signed rank, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman rho tests were used to evaluate differences in IPSSs before and after treatment. Results: After treatment, significant improvement in lower urinary tract symptoms was confirmed statistically based on the IPSSs of 23 OSAS patients (P < 0.001). The difference in the IPSS before and after treatment was not associated with the AHI, treatment method, patient age, or body mass index (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Most of the OSAS patients had lower urinary tract symptoms, and significant improvement in these symptoms was observed following treatment for OSAS.