Does ejaculation have an effect on urinary flow rates?

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Men's Health
• Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

Background:

• Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) affect many men.
• Uroflowmetry is a key diagnostic tool for LUTS.
• The impact of ejaculation on uroflowmetry is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of ejaculation on urinary flow rates in men with LUTS.
• To determine if ejaculation influences uroflowmetry measurements.

Main Methods:

• 55 male patients with LUTS underwent uroflowmetry (UF1) after 3 days of ejaculatory abstinence.
• Participants then ejaculated, followed by repeat uroflowmetry at 2-4 hours (UF2) and 48-50 hours (UF3).
• Measurements included Qmax and corrected Qmax (cQmax).

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase in mean Qmax and cQmax was observed between UF1 and UF2.
• This effect was significant specifically in patients with benign prostatic enlargement (BPE).
• The proportion of patients with Qmax <15 mL/s significantly differed between UF1 and UF2 in the BPE group.

Conclusions:

• Ejaculation causes a temporary, significant increase in Qmax, particularly in men with BPE.
• This finding suggests ejaculation can complicate uroflowmetry interpretation.
• Further research is needed to fully understand this ejaculatory effect on urinary flow.