Prevalence and bother of lower urinary tract symptoms and overactive bladder in Poland, an Eastern European Study

Abstract

The prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and overactive bladder (OAB) has been measured by population-based investigations in many parts of the world. However, data are lacking for Eastern Europe, and there has not been any large population-representative study in any country of this region. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and associated bother of LUTS and OAB in a population-representative sample of persons aged ≥ 40 years in Poland. This investigation was conducted as a computer-assisted telephone interview. The survey sample was stratified by age, sex, and place of residence to reflect the entire Polish population. LUTS and OAB were assessed by a standardized protocol based on the International Continence Society definitions and validated questionnaires. Of 6005 participants, 57% were women, and the mean age (range) was 60.7 (40–93) years. The prevalence of LUTS was 69.8% (men 66.2%; women 72.6%). There was no difference in prevalence between urban and rural areas. LUTS were often bothersome among men and women, but women were more likely to be bothered compared with men. There were also statistically significant correlations between the frequency and the bother intensity of each of the LUTS. The prevalence of OAB was higher in women (39.5%) than in men (26.8%), and OAB increased with age. Lastly, LUTS had detrimental effects on the quality of life because one third of the participants had concerns about their urinary-specific quality of life. This investigation was the first nationwide, population-representative epidemiological study of LUTS and OAB in an Eastern-European country. LUTS were highly prevalent, often bothersome, and had negative effects on the quality of life of men and women aged ≥ 40 years. Our findings are comparable with other epidemiologic studies of LUTS and OAB conducted in different regions of the world.Trial registration: NCT04121936.

Effects of overactive bladder on treatment-related behaviour and quality of life in an Eastern European country: findings from the LUTS POLAND Study

“…Because validated instruments measure relevant symptom burden, they may be more optimal for population-based analyses than rigid classification systems based only on symptom prevalence [19]. Therefore, we used the OAB-V8 questionnaire, which is characterized by high sensitivity and specificity in recognizing OAB [19], and it is used widely as a valid screening tool to estimate OAB prevalence in large population-based analyses [9]. We also did not collect data regarding causes of treatment discontinuation and drug-related adverse events.…”

“…We performed a further analysis of data from the LUTS POLAND survey, population-representative cross-sectional epidemiological study. Complete details of the study design and methodology are published and presented briefly here [9]. The study included representative pools of men and women, aged ≥ 40 years, who lived in all geographical regions of Poland (including urban and rural areas).…”

“…A recent nationwide, population-representative epidemiological study of OAB in Poland, the first reliable epidemiological study (n = 6005) of OAB in a Central or Eastern Europe country, reported that 26.8% of men and 39.5% of women aged ≥ 40 years had a possible diagnosis of OAB [9]. These estimates suggested that there is a substantial burden of OAB in Poland.…”

Relationship between Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Treatment-Related Behavior in an Eastern European Country: Findings from the LUTS POLAND Study

“…The study included representative pools of men and women aged ≥ 40 years living in all geographical regions of Poland (including urban and rural areas with appropriate proportions). We described the justification for this recruitment approach and the details of the survey and study design elsewhere [ 5 ]. The Ethics Committee of Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland (1072.6120.160.2019) approved the study.…”

“…LUTS were found to affect up to 74% of adults aged ≥ 40 years in Europe and North America [ 2 ], 75% in South America [ 3 ], and 61% in Asia [ 4 ]. In a recent population-representative epidemiological study of LUTS in Poland, the first reliable and nationwide epidemiological study of LUTS in an Eastern European country, we reported LUTS prevalence of 69.8% in adults aged ≥ 40 years, with more women affected than men (72.6% vs. 66.2%) [ 5 ].…”