Micturition habits of older people. Voiding frequency and urine volumes

A questionnaire study was carried out among elderly subjects (mean age 73.6 +/- 6.1 years (SD)) with a response rate of 74% (n = 1,115). It covered various aspects of health, symptoms and disease. 26% (n = 287) stated that they had two or more micturitions per night. A subgroup consisting of healthy older people, 39 men and 56 women with an average age of 73.9 +/- 4.9 years and 70.8 +/- 5.3 years, respectively, was studied concerning the distribution of diuresis and the frequency of voiding. The combined 24-hour diuresis (average for three 24-hour periods) was 1,400-1,600 ml, with a quotient between day and night of about 1, except the group with only one micturition at night (12 hours), where it was 1.8. The micturition volume between 08-20 h was less than between 20-08 h. The micturition volumes during both periods were significantly less with an increase in the number of voidings between 20-08 h. The quotient between the micturition volume 08-20 h and 20-08 h was strikingly constant (about 0.7). The finding of equally large urine volumes both day and night differs from that among younger adults in whom the diuresis is twice as large in the day as in the night.