AIMS: We performed the first large population-based study to evaluate lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in Brazil. The study objective was to assess the prevalence and bother of LUTS in the population aged ≥40 years in five major cities of Brazil.
METHODS: This study was conducted as a telephone survey with assessment of LUTS using a standardized protocol, which included the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and, for overactive bladder (OAB), the OAB-V8 questionnaire. Participants were asked to rate how often they experienced individual LUTS and the degree of associated bother.
RESULTS: Of the 5184 participants, 53% were women, and the age group with most participants (34%) was 50-59 years. The prevalence of LUTS (symptoms occurring less than half the time or more) was 75%: 69% in men and 82% in women. There was a statistically significant association between the frequency and bother intensity of each symptom (P < 0.001). The prevalence of OAB was similar in men and women (25% and 24%, respectively). According to the IPSS questionnaire, moderate-to-severe symptoms were present in 21% of men and 24% of women. LUTS detrimentally affected quality of life in many individuals: 39% would be "mostly dissatisfied," "unhappy," or consider it "terrible" to spend the rest of their life with their urinary condition as it is currently.
CONCLUSIONS: This was the first nationwide, population-based epidemiological study of LUTS to be performed in Brazil. LUTS are highly prevalent and often bothersome among men and women aged ≥40 years.
INTRODUCTION: Few population-based data are available evaluating the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in Asia. The objective of our study was to determine LUTS prevalence in China, Taiwan, and South Korea using International Continence Society (ICS) 2002 criteria.
METHODS: An Internet-based self-administered survey among individuals aged at least 40 years with the ability to use a computer and to read the local language. Survey questions included ICS symptom definitions and the international prostate symptom score (IPSS). Data analysis was based on descriptive statistics and post hoc significance testing.
RESULTS: There were 8284 participants, of whom 51% were women and 34% were aged at least 60 years. LUTS prevalence was slightly higher in men than women (62.8% vs. 59.6%; p = 0.004), increasing significantly with age (p = 0.001). All three ICS symptom groups (voiding, storage, and post-micturition) were present in 35% of individuals with LUTS. Symptoms with the highest overall prevalence were nocturia, frequency, incomplete emptying, and terminal dribble. The most bothersome symptoms were terminal dribble, nocturia, and urgency. According to IPSS scores, 87% of participants had at least mild symptoms; 43% of those aged over 60 years had moderate/severe symptoms. The percentage of participants with any LUTS who had visited healthcare professionals because of urinary symptoms was 26%, rising to 45% amongst individuals with all three symptom groups (p = 0.001 vs. other ICS symptom groups).
CONCLUSIONS: LUTS are highly prevalent in men and women aged at least 40 years who participated in this study in China, Taiwan, and South Korea and increases with increasing age. A minority of individuals with LUTS seek healthcare and our results suggest an increased patient awareness of LUTS is required.
FUNDING: Astellas Pharma Singapore Pte. Ltd.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT02618421.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in males of the general population.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our analysis, we included 8627 men, 48-79 years of age, who participated in the fourth follow-up (FUP) of EPIC-Heidelberg (2007-2009) and replied to questions on LUTS. According to the International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire, men were categorized as having mild (0-7 points), moderate (8-19 points), or severe LUTS (20-35 points). In addition, we examined progression of LUTS among 7821 men, who also participated in FUP 5 (2010-2012).
RESULTS: There were 75.3% of men who reported mild, 22.0% who reported moderate, and 2.7% who reported severe LUTS. The prevalence increased with age. At FUP 4, 5.8% (mild symptoms) to 39.7% (severe LUTS) of participants reported use of any type of benign prostatic hyperplasia or LUTS medication. Nocturia, that is, getting up at night at least twice, was the most common symptom, followed by incomplete emptying of the bladder and urgency. There were 54.8% of men who reported worse LUTS in FUP 5, but 27.1% reported an improvement in symptoms.
CONCLUSION: About a quarter of middle-aged and elderly men reported clinically relevant LUTS. Whereas symptoms in some men actually improve, more than half of men experience worsening of symptoms over a 3-year period in time.
Revista»Archivio italiano di urologia, andrologia : organo ufficiale [di] Societa italiana di ecografia urologica e nefrologica / Associazione ricerche in urologia
OBJECTIVE: Phytotherapeutic compounds are largely used in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) due to low side-effect profiles and costs, high level of acceptance by patients and a low rate of dropout. Here, we aimed to analyze all available evidence on the role of Cucurbita pepo in the treatment of LUTS-BPH.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: In May 2016 a systematic search was carried out thorough National Library of Medicine Pubmed, Scopus database and the ISI Web of Knowledge official website in order to identify all published studies on Cucurbita pepo and BPH. The following search strings were used: "Cucurbita pepo" OR "pumpkin seed" AND "prostate"; "Cucurbita pepo" AND "antiandrogen" OR "antiproliferative" OR "anti-inflammatory" OR "antioxidant activities"; "cucurbita pepo" OR "pumpkin seed" AND "LUTS" AND "symptoms improvement" OR "quality of life". We consider for the present analysis only studies related to LUTS-BPH.
RESULTS: Among all 670 screened, 16 were related to LUTSBPH and finally analyzed. Among all, ten of them were performed in "in vitro setting" showing anti-inflammatory and antiandrogen effect, and a reduction in prostate growth and detrusor activity, while six were clinical studies. In all studies an improvement in International Prostatic Symptoms Score (IPSS) and uroflowmetry parameters has been reported. In 4 studies, an improvement in quality of life has been reported.
CONCLUSION: On the basis of our narrative review, the use of Cucurbita pepo in the management of patients affected by LUTS-BPH seems to be useful for improving symptoms and quality of life. However, future clinical trials are requested to confirm these promising results.
OBJECTIVE: Recently, cranberry extracts have been tested as a nutritional supplementation in the prevention of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) as well as recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in subjects at risk, with mixed results. However, evidence of efficacy should be considered only for well-characterized and standardized products in a more selected study population. Moreover, the efficacy of these interventions in elderly must be further investigated. The aim of this pilot, registry study was to evaluate the prophylactic effects of an oral supplementation containing a highly concentrated and standardized cranberry extract reproducing the natural total profile of cranberry fruits, in elderly men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), suffering from recurrent UTIs, over a 2-months follow-up.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: 43 men (age > 65 years) enrolled in this study freely decided to receive either a standard management (SM) only (n = 21) or SM associated with an oral supplementation (n = 23). Supplementation consisted in a daily administration of one capsule containing cranberry extract (Anthocran®) for 60 consecutive days. The clinical effectiveness in the prevention of UTIs was determined by the number of UTIs in the two months before the inclusion in the registry and during the supplementation period, and the number of symptom-free subjects during the registry period. Safety considerations were also performed.
RESULTS: In the supplemented group, the mean number of UTI episodes reported during the registry (0.8 ± 0.5) significantly decreased compared with inclusion time (3.2 ± 1.3), p-value = 0.0001. No significant changes were observed in control, SM-only group. Importantly, the cranberry oral supplementation was superior over SM at reducing the mean number of UTIs (p-value = 0.0062).
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that cranberry supplementation could be an effective and safe approach, within an SM program, for the prevention of recurrent UTIs in elderly men suffering from BPH avoiding some antibiotic treatments.
