Voiding patterns in men and women with lower urinary tract symptoms combined with nocturia

Abstract

Aim: We evaluated differences between men and women with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) combined with nocturia. Methods: A total of 71 age-matched female-male pairs (median 58, range 20-81 years) who had moderate to severe LUTS and nocturia of more than once per night were enrolled in this study. Results: In the younger group (<50 years), the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) results of the sexes were not significantly different. However, although total I-PSS results in the elderly group (Ն50 years) were not significantly different, quality of life index scores for women were higher (P = 0.002). On frequency-volume (FV) charts, mean total daytime voided volume (DVV) was significantly higher in younger men than in younger women (P = 0.017), but the mean nocturnal polyuria index (NPi) for women was higher than that for men (P = 0.047). However, maximum DVV (P = 0.009), mean DVV (P < 0.0001), total DVV (P < 0.0001), and mean nocturnal urine volume (P = 0.009) were significantly higher in elderly men than in elderly women. However, numbers of daytime voids were not different. Conclusion: Elderly women with LUTS have lower functional bladder capacities than elderly men, as suggested by their smaller mean voided volumes. However, no significant differences were observed between numbers of daytime voids, which was probably due to the smaller total daytime voided volumes of elderly women. In addition, although NPi for younger women and nocturnal urine volume for elderly men was higher, no other differences were observed in terms of other night-time parameters.

Exploring nocturia: Gender, age, and causes

“…A limitation we recognize is that sex ratio is different between the younger and older age group, although we doubt that this would have influenced our conclusions. Paick et al observed a higher NVV too in older men in a study on 71 age‐matched female–male pairs. In this study, women had a significantly lower bladder capacity, which is also confirmed by our results .…”

“…In this study, women had a significantly lower bladder capacity, which is also confirmed by our results. 21 Weiss et al 19 found a predominance of reduced nocturnal bladder capacity in younger patients and a predominance of NP in older patients.…”

Nocturia: A non‐specific but important symptom of urological disease

“…Moreover, some conditions and diseases leading to nocturia may involve one or more of these factors to cause nocturia. Interestingly, the relative roles of these factors may differ between genders as it has been reported that male nocturia more often is related to nocturnal polyuria, whereas female nocturia more often is related to a small bladder capacity 28 . The relative roles of the various factors may also differ between ethnic groups 29 …”