Does COVID-19 Vaccination Cause Storage Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms?

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Vaccinology
• Public Health

Background:

• Storage lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common and can impact quality of life.
• The COVID-19 vaccine's potential side effects on urinary function are not fully understood.
• Overactive bladder (OAB) is a condition characterized by urinary urgency, frequency, and nocturia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in storage LUTS after the first COVID-19 vaccine dose.
• To determine if pre-existing OAB is associated with worsening storage LUTS post-vaccination.
• To identify risk factors for LUTS deterioration after COVID-19 vaccination.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 889 subjects in Taiwan.
• Utilized the validated Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) pre- and post-vaccination.
• Diagnosed OAB based on pre-vaccinated OABSS scores.

Main Results:

• 13.4% of subjects experienced worsened storage LUTS after vaccination.
• Pre-vaccinated OAB was significantly associated with increased urinary urgency, frequency, and seeking medical help post-vaccination.
• The OAB group showed significantly greater increases in OABSS scores (urgency, frequency, total) compared to the non-OAB group.

Conclusions:

• Storage LUTS can deteriorate following COVID-19 vaccination.
• Pre-existing OAB is a significant risk factor for worsening storage LUTS after vaccination.
• Close monitoring of storage LUTS is recommended post-COVID-19 vaccination, particularly for individuals with OAB.