[Questionnaire survey on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) for patients attending general practice clinics]

We investigated the incidence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in people consulting a general practice (GP) clinics.

The questionnaire included 7 questions regarding LUTS and 1 question regarding QOL (QOL index) based on the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS), 3 questions on the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) and 4 questions on the International Conference of Incontinence Questionnaire Short-form (ICIQ-SF) and the survey was conducted among 1,120 people aged 50 or older who consulted a GP clinic.

Questionnaires were collected from 958 persons (86%) and the data from 822 (73%) who completed all the above questions were analyzed. There were 364 men (mean age: 67 year-old) and 458 women (68 year-old). Moderate or severe grades on I-PSS and OABSS were indicated in 99 (27%) and 43 (12%), respectively, for men, and 55 (12%) and 40 (9%) for women. Moderately or severely impaired QOL was indicated in 206 (57%) men and 193 (42%) women. Fifty-five (15%) men and 185 (40%) women indicated that they had some type of urinary incontinence. There were 138 (38%) men and 165 (36%) women showing both moderate or severe I-PSS and moderate or severe impairment of QOL, and/or with an ICIQ-SF score greater than 1.

When I-PSS and QOL score were used for LUTS screening, 38% of men and 36% of women aged over 50, consulting a GP clinic, had some LUTS which should be assessed to determine whether they need treatment.