Lower urinary tract symptoms--a population survey using the Danish Prostatic Symptom Score (DAN-PSS) questionnaire

To describe voiding problems and the trouble they cause in a Danish population. Furthermore, to find symptoms specific for the ageing man, and thereby symptoms that might relate to an enlarged prostate.

The DAN-PSS questionnaire was mailed to a gender- and age-stratified random sample of 500 inhabitants in Herlev municipality. Prevalence of the symptoms and the trouble they cause were calculated and related to age and gender by the x2 test for trend and the chi2 test, respectively.

The response rate was 73.6%. In total, 84.5% of the subjects had experienced at least one symptom within the previous fortnight. The various symptom prevalences ranged from 3.8-67.1%. Although many subjects experienced symptoms, they were not always bothered by them, and women were generally more bothered than men. Weak stream, hesitancy and dribbling occurred more often among men, whereas incontinence (stress, mixed) occurred more often among women. Nocturia and mixed incontinence increased in prevalence with increasing age among both men and women. Weak stream, incomplete emptying, stress and urge incontinence showed an age-related increase in prevalence among men, but not among women. These might therefore be symptoms of an enlarged prostate.

Lower urinary tract symptoms occur with high prevalence in the background population, but they do not always cause trouble. Weak stream, incomplete emptying, stress and urge incontinence seem to be symptoms of an enlarged prostate.