Association of non-urological diseases with lower urinary tract symptoms

Objective: Clinical observations indicate that many non-urological diseases seem to be associated with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). This has a lso been shown in studies usually concerning single diseases. This study in vestigated the impact of non-urological diseases on LUTS in the general pop ulation. Material and Methods: A questionnaire on LUTS and medical history was maile d to all 50-, 60- and 70 year-old men in Tampere and in 11 municipalities i n the same county, in total 3143 subjects. Day-time frequency, nocturia. ur ge, urge incontinence, hesitancy and incomplete emptying were used to form an index for LUTS. The men were asked to report any disease that they had. The number of the following diseases reported by the participants was large enough for statistical analysis: lower back pain, hypertension, arthritis, heart disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes, constipation, stroke, transien t ischaemic attack, cancer (other than prostate or bladder), neurological d isease, inguinal hernia, rheumatoid arthritis and faecal incontinence. The association between LUTS and non-urological diseases was estimated by logis tic regression as a prevalence odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval s (CI). Results: In the multivariate analysis a significant association was found b etween LUTS and the following diseases: faecal incontinence (OR 4.5, Cl 2.3 -9.1), neurological disease (OR 2.4, CI 1.3-4.4), constipation (OR 2.3, CI 1.5-3.3) and arthritis (OR 1.5, CI 1.2-2.0). Conclusions: According to this population-based study LUTS is an important part of the symptomatology of faecal incontinence, neurological disease, co nstipation and arthritis. Thus, the patients with these diseases and presen ting with LUTS require careful investigation, at least in the cases in whic h the primary therapy of LUTS has failed.