[Relationship between LUTS (lower urinary tract symptoms) and quality of life]

To evaluate the impact of the lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) included in the IPSS on the quality of life and to determine the relationship between quality of life or total IPSS score and treatment.

Retrospective review of the IPSS questionnaire in 125 male patients who had consulted for LUTS between January 2001 and December 2003. Results were included in an Access database. Statistical analyses were done with the SPSS 11.0 software.

17% of the patients showed severe symptoms in accordance to the IPSS score. In the quality of life evaluation grouped into two categories, 88% referred good or indifferent quality of life. In the evaluation of the association between IPSS individual questions and quality of life there was a significant association for all questions. Patients reporting worse quality of life had a 6 times higher risk of receiving treatment. With a mean follow-up of two years, 91% of patients who were not on treatment continued without it.

The most severe symptoms are, the worse the quality of life. The independent parameters that most influenced decision to start treatment were quality of life and total IPSS. Frequency, weak stream and hesitation may explain quality of life on each patient.