Lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with Sjogren's syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are autoimmu ne diseases which have many similarities with interstitial cystitis (IC), a urinary bladder disease with unknown etiology. This survey on the occurren ce, severity and nature of lower urinary tract symptoms among patients suff ering from SS or SLE showed that these patients have significantly more uri nary complaints, especially irritative bladder symptoms, than age- and sex- matched controls. We studied 36 patients with SS, 85 patients with SLE and 121 controls. In these groups, 25%, 29% and 66%, respectively, were free of urinary symptoms. The prevalences of mild symptoms were 61%, 62% and 27%, and severe symptoms 14%, 9% and 7% in the respective groups. SS and SLE pat ients with urinary complaints reported mostly urinary frequency (27% and 62 %) and suprapubic pain (36% and 34%). The most common symptom in the contro l group was stress urinary incontinence. The frequency of lower urinary tra ct problems in patients with SS and SLE supports the concept that autoimmun e disorders also have bladder affections.