Voiding problems in patients with HIV infection and AIDS

The prevalence and type of urinary voiding problems were prospectively investigated in 77 men and four women (median age 36 years) with HIV infection or AIDS consecutively attending an outpatient clinic. Urologic symptoms were registered from replies to a questionnaire and urologic evaluation was made when indicated. All patients were neurologically examined. In addition, urodynamic data from ten consecutively referred HIV/AIDS patients were retrospectively analyzed. Two of the 81 prospectively studied patients had severe, and eight had moderate voiding problems, while 19 had pathologic findings at neurologic examination. Of three patients referred for urodynamic investigation, two were found to have neurogenic bladder dysfunction. In three of the total 13 urodynamically studied patients the findings suggested neurogenic bladder dysfunction secondary to the infection. We conclude that HIV/AIDS infection affects voiding only in minor degree, and when it does the disease is often advanced and dominated by symptoms from other organs. The relevance of urologic/urodynamic investigation in HIV/AIDS patients thus seems limited.