Study Type – Symptom prevalence (prospective cohort)

Level of Evidence 1b

What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Few prevalence studies used current ICS LUTS symptom definitions and to our knowledge no studies exist that estimate total worldwide prevalence of reported LUTS symptoms One of the primary goals of this analysis was to estimate current and future worldwide prevalence of LUTS among adults Our estimation model suggests that LUTS are highly prevalent worldwide, with an increasing burden predicted over time

OBJECTIVE
• To estimate and predict worldwide and regional prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), overactive bladder (OAB), urinary incontinence (UI) and LUTS suggestive of bladder outlet obstruction (LUTS/BOO) in 2008, 2013 and 2018 based on current International Continence Society symptom definitions in adults aged ≥20 years

PATIENTS AND METHODS
• Numbers and prevalence of individuals affected by each condition were calculated with an estimation model using gender- and age-stratified prevalence data from the EPIC study along with gender- and age-stratified worldwide and regional population estimates from the US Census Bureau International Data Base

RESULTS
• An estimated 452%, 107%, 82% and 215% of the 2008 worldwide population (43 billion) was affected by at least one LUTS, OAB, UI and LUTS/BOO, respectively By 2018, an estimated 23 billion individuals will be affected by at least one LUTS (184% increase), 546 million by OAB (201%), 423 million by UI (216%) and 11 billion by LUTS/BOO (185%)

• The regional burden of these conditions is estimated to be greatest in Asia, with numbers of affected individuals expected to increase most in the developing regions of Africa (301–311% increase across conditions, 2008–2018), South America (205–247%) and Asia (197–244%)

CONCLUSIONS
• This model suggests that LUTS, OAB, UI and LUTS/BOO are highly prevalent conditions worldwide Numbers of affected individuals are projected to increase with time, with the greatest increase in burden anticipated in developing regions

• There are important worldwide public-health and clinical management implications to be considered over the next decade to effectively prevent and manage these conditions

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2010.09993.x

Worldwide prevalence estimates of lower urinary tract symptoms, overactive bladder, urinary incontinence and bladder outlet obstruction

https://www.arca.fiocruz.br/bitstream/icict/9060/2/Lewis%20RW%20Definitions....pdf

Definitions/epidemiology/risk factors for sexual dysfunction

OBJECTIVES
To examine the effect overactive bladder (OAB) and other lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a population sample, as OAB often occurs in conjunction with many other LUTS.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS
A nested case-control analysis was performed on men and women with (cases) and without (controls) OAB, from the EPIC study. OAB was assessed using 2002 International Continence Society definitions. Based on their responses to questions about LUTS, cases were classified into five groups; continent OAB, OAB with incontinence, OAB + postmicturition, OAB + voiding, and OAB + postmicturition + voiding. Both cases and controls were asked questions about symptom bother (OAB-q), generic QoL (EQ-5D), work productivity (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment, WPAI), depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), sexual satisfaction, and erectile dysfunction (men only) using the Massachusetts Male Aging Study. Cases answered additional condition-specific questions HRQoL (OAB-q short form), Patient Perception of Bladder Condition and work productivity related to a specific health problem (WPAI-SHP). General linear models were used to evaluate group differences.

RESULTS
Of the EPIC participants, 1434 identified OAB cases were matched by age, gender and country, with 1434 participants designated as controls. Cases and controls were primarily Caucasian (96.2% and 96.7%, respectively), and most (65%) were female; the mean age was 53.8 and 53.7 years, respectively. Comorbid conditions differed significantly by case/control status, with cases reporting significantly greater rates of chronic constipation, asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, bladder or prostate cancer, neurological conditions and depression. There were significant differences between the cases and controls in all reported LUTS. The OAB + postmicturition + voiding group reported significantly greater symptom bother, worse HRQoL, higher rates of depression and decreased enjoyment of sexual activity, than the other subgroups.

CONCLUSION
OAB has a substantial, multidimensional impact on patients; OAB with additional LUTS has a greater impact. The diagnosis and treatment of OAB should be considered in conjunction with other LUTS, to maximize treatment options and optimize patient outcomes.

The impact of overactive bladder, incontinence and other lower urinary tract symptoms on quality of life, work productivity, sexuality and emotional well-being in men and women: results from the EPIC study.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Overactive Bladder (Non-Neurogenic) in Adults: AUA/SUFU Guideline

OBJECTIVE
To estimate and compare the prevalence and associated bother of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in the general populations of the USA, UK and Sweden using current International Continence Society (ICS) definitions, as no previous population-based studies evaluating the prevalence of LUTS in the USA, using the 2002 ICS definitions, have been conducted.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS
This cross-sectional, population-representative survey was conducted via the Internet in the USA, the UK and Sweden. Members of Internet-based panels were randomly selected to receive an e-mailed invitation to participate. If interested, respondents selected a link to an informed consent page, followed by the survey. Participants were asked to rate how often they experienced individual LUTS during the previous 4 weeks, on a five-point Likert scale, and, if experienced, how much the symptom bothered them. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize and present the data.

RESULTS
Responses rates for the USA, the UK and Sweden were 59.6%, 60.6% and 52.3%, respectively, with a final sample of 30 000 (USA 20 000; UK 7500; Sweden 2500). The mean age (range) of the participants was 56.6 (40–99) years; the mean percentages for race were 82.9% white, 6.7% black, 6.0% Hispanic and 4.4% Asian/other. The prevalence of LUTS was defined by two symptom frequency thresholds, i.e. at least ‘sometimes’ and at least ‘often’ for all LUTS except incontinence, where frequency thresholds were at least ‘a few times per month’ and at least ‘a few times per week’. The prevalence of at least one LUTS at least ‘sometimes’ was 72.3% for men and 76.3% for women, and 47.9% and 52.5% for at least ‘often’ for men and women, respectively. For most LUTS, at least half of the participants were bothered ‘somewhat’ or more using a frequency threshold of at least ‘sometimes’. For a threshold of at least ‘often’, ‘somewhat’ or more bother was reported by ≥70% of participants except for terminal dribble in men and split stream in women.

CONCLUSION
In this large population study of three countries, LUTS are highly prevalent among men and women aged >40 years. In general, LUTS experienced ‘often’ or more are bothersome to most people.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2009.08427.x

The prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in the USA, the UK and Sweden: results from the Epidemiology of LUTS (EpiLUTS) study.

Population-Based Survey of Urinary Incontinence, Overactive Bladder, and Other Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Five Countries: Results of the EPIC Study

OBJECTIVES

To compare the prevalence of frequency and nocturia and the bother they impose in a population-based sample of men and women using current International Continence Society (ICS) definitions of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and commonly used alternative definitions of these LUTS to emphasize the importance of standardizing the definitions when evaluating overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome; we also describe the spectrum of LUTS and bother they impose in this population with OAB.



SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Several validated disease-specific measures were used in a population-based, cross-sectional telephone survey of adults aged ≥18 years in five countries. The population with OAB was defined as those participants who answered ‘yes’ to questions about urgency or urgency urinary incontinence according to ICS standards. The prevalence of daytime frequency and nocturia within the OAB population was examined using two different criteria for each symptom. Frequency was defined using the current ICS definition (i.e. subject’s perception of whether they urinated too often during the day) or more than eight daytime voids. Nocturia was defined according to the ICS definition of having to wake once or more per night to void and using the threshold of waking twice or more per night to urinate. Urinary symptom bother within the OAB population was compared using the different criteria for frequency and nocturia.



RESULTS

In all, 1434 participants (502 men and 932 women) were classified as having OAB; 31% of men and 25% of women with OAB had daytime frequency consistent with the ICS definition. The ICS-defined frequency identified a population with a varied distribution of reported daytime voiding frequencies; most respondents reported frequencies below the threshold of nine daytime voids. The ICS-defined daytime frequency was reported as bothersome by more than half of the OAB population (46% of men, 66% of women). Of the OAB population, ≈75% reported one or more nocturia episodes per night, and ≈40% reported two or more per night. The proportion of the OAB population that was bothered by nocturia increased markedly as the number of nocturia episodes increased. Among those with OAB, the most prevalent combination of OAB symptoms was urgency and nocturia. More than half of those with OAB reported urgency combined with three or more other LUTS (including voiding and postmicturition symptoms), and the number of LUTS reported increased with age. The proportion of the population reporting symptom bother increased as the number of reported LUTS in that population increased.



CONCLUSIONS

The ICS definitions for daytime frequency as ‘the subject’s perception of urinating too often’ and for nocturia as ‘one or more episodes per night’ adequately described bladder symptoms within the OAB population when assessed by the level of symptom bother. Urgency was uncommon in isolation and did not alone impose as high a level of bother as when combined with other LUTS. In this population, the most predominant manifestation of OAB was a combination of urgency with one or more other OAB symptoms. Symptom bother became more common as the number of symptoms reported increased. LUTS other than the defining symptoms of OAB were also highly prevalent within the OAB population.

Understanding the elements of overactive bladder: questions raised by the EPIC study.

Overactive bladder is associated with erectile dysfunction and reduced sexual quality of life in men.

Introduction. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction, including erectile dysfunction (ED), is greater in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), including overactive bladder (OAB), than in men without LUTS. Aim. To evaluate the prevalence of ED, the impact of urinary symptoms on sexual activity and sexual enjoyment, and sexual satisfaction in men with OAB. Methods. A nested case-control analysis was performed on data from a subset of men with (cases) and without (controls) OAB frequency-matched for age (5-year age strata) and country from the EPIC study. Respondents were asked about OAB symptoms (using the 2002 International Continence Society (ICS) definitions) and sexual activity. Sexually active respondents were asked about ED, sexual enjoyment, and overall satisfaction with their sex lives. Conditional logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with ED. Main Outcome Measures. The percentage of cases and controls reporting ED, a reduction in the frequency of sexual activity or enjoyment of sexual activity because of urinary symptoms, and overall satisfaction with their sex lives was determined for cases and controls. Results. A total of 502 cases and 502 controls were matched for age strata and country. Significantly more cases (14%) reported reduced sexual activity because of urinary symptoms compared with controls (4%; P 0.05). Among sexually active respondents, cases were significantly more likely to have ED than were controls (prevalence odds ratio, 1.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.2); the prevalence of ED was similar to that for men with hypertension or diabetes. Significantly more cases (15%) reported decreased enjoyment of sexual activity because of urinary symp- toms relative to controls (2%; P 0.05), and significantly fewer cases were satisfied with their sex lives (81% vs. 90%; P 0.05). Conclusions. OAB, as defined by the ICS, was significantly associated with increased prevalence of ED, reduced sexual activity and sexual enjoyment because of urinary symptoms, and reduced sexual satisfaction. Irwin DE,

Kate Reilly

Papers

Population-Based Survey of Urinary Incontinence, Overactive Bladder, and Other Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Five Countries: Results of the EPIC Study

Understanding the elements of overactive bladder: questions raised by the EPIC study.

Overactive bladder is associated with erectile dysfunction and reduced sexual quality of life in men.

ORIGINAL RESEARCH—ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION Overactive Bladder Is Associated with Erectile Dysfunction and Reduced Sexual Quality of Life in Men