Prevalence of storage lower urinary tract symptoms in male patients attending Spanish urology office. Urinary urgency as predictor of quality of life

Abstract

IntroductionThe study sought to determine the symptomatic profile of men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) who visited a urology clinic in Spain and its impact on their health-related quality of life (HRQL). Materials and methodsA national, epidemiological cross-sectional study was conducted and included 291 urology clinics. The prevalence of storage LUTS was investigated in 25,482 men. The study collected sociodemographic and clinical data from a subgroup of 1015 patients with storage LUTS who filled out the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Overactive Bladder Questionnaire Short Form (OABq-SF) and Patient Perception of Bladder Condition (PPBC) questionnaires. The impact of urinary urgency on HRQL was analyzed. ResultsThe prevalence of storage LUTS was 41%, increasing with age: 14.1%, 41.5% and 60.8% for patients aged 18–49, 50–64 and ≥65 years, respectively. Of the 1015 selected patients, only 2.6% had storage symptoms exclusively. Symptom severity (IPSS) increased with age. Nocturia, frequency and urgency were the most common symptoms and had the most impact on HRQL (IPSS and OABq-SF). The number of urgency episodes was inversely correlated with the HRQL (r=−0.773; p<0.0001). In the multivariate analysis, only the IPSS and OABq-SF bother scores were significant predictors of HRQL (p<0.001). ConclusionStorage LUTS are highly prevalent among patients attending urology clinics in Spain. The severity of the urgency (number of urgency episodes) predicted a poorer quality of life for the patient.