Degree of bother caused by nocturia in women

The prevalence of nocturia in women has been studied, but its severity has not been categorized based on degree of bother. The number of nighttime voids that defines clinically significant nocturia has not been established. The objective of this study was to establish how bothersome nocturia is in women and to determine whether number of nighttime voids correlates with the degree of bother. We also sought to determine if this correlation was affected by age or continence status.

The charts of 1,214 neurologically healthy women that presented to a female urology office were reviewed. All women completed the American Urological Association Symptom Index (AUASI) and the symptom problem index (SPI). Question no. 7 of the AUASI assesses the number of voids per night and question no. 3 of the SPI assesses the bother of nighttime voiding. The correlation of these two variables was evaluated using a proportional odds model.

Mean age was 54.6 years (18-93). 87.3% complained of waking at least one time per night to void. Bother score increased as the number of nightly voids increased, irrespective of age or continence status. The proportional odds model showed that as the number of voids increases 1 value on AUASI, the odds of having an increase in bother increases 2.7 times (P<0.0001).

As the number of nighttime voiding episodes increases, the bother increases, independent of age or continent status. Based on the degree of bother, we propose that clinically significant nocturia in women be classified as two or more episodes per night.