Lower urinary tract symptoms and functional ability in older adults: a community-based cross-sectional study

Kyo Takahashi; Tomoki Tanaka; Yasuyo Yoshizawa; Mahiro Fujisaki-Sueda-Sakai; Bo-Kyung Son; Katsuya Iijima

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054530

Lower urinary tract symptoms and functional ability in older adults: a community-based cross-sectional study

BMJ Open. 2022 Apr 25;12(4):e054530. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054530.

Authors

Kyo Takahashi^{1

2}, Tomoki Tanaka³, Yasuyo Yoshizawa^{4

5}, Mahiro Fujisaki-Sueda-Sakai^{3

6}, Bo-Kyung Son^{3

7}, Katsuya Iijima^{3

7}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Gerontology, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Japan tkyo-tky@umin.ac.jp.
² Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, Shimotsuga-gun, Japan.
³ Institute of Gerontology, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Japan.
⁴ School of Nursing, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Japan.
⁵ Sportology Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Bunkyo-ku, Japan.
⁶ Department of Public Health Nursing, School of Health Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
⁷ Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Japan.

Abstract

Objectives: Functional ability, or the ability to live actively in older age, is essential for healthy ageing. This study assessed the association between the five types of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and functional ability among community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years old).

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Setting: Community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years old) randomly selected from the basic resident register of Kashiwa city as part of the Kashiwa study.

Participants: The study included 916 community-dwelling older adults (481 male participants) in Japan.

Outcome measures: A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data regarding LUTS, which included frequency, nocturia, urgency, urinary incontinence and overactive bladder (OAB). Functional ability was measured using the Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence. Sex-stratified logistic regression analyses were conducted, adjusting age, obesity, alcohol consumption, polypharmacy and comorbidities.

Results: Male participants experienced symptoms of frequency, nocturia, urgency, urinary incontinence and OAB at rates of 68.0%, 89.0%, 16.0%, 3.7% and 4.3%, respectively. Female participants experienced these symptoms at rates of 68.3%, 80.0%, 11.0%, 7.4% and 8.5%, respectively. Among male participants, lower functional ability was only associated with nocturia (≥3 times/night) (adjusted OR (AOR): 1.71, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.79). Contrarily, lower functional ability among female participants was significantly associated with frequency (AOR: 1.61, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.49), urgency (AOR: 2.06, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.95) and OAB (AOR: 2.43, 95% CI 1.15 to 5.11).

Conclusion: The different associations between LUTS and functional ability by sex might be related to differences in the effect of comorbidities and physical fatigue. Our results help clarify the multifaceted effects of LUTS in old age, the need for early detection and treatment of LUTS, and the importance of maintaining functional ability.

Keywords: adult urology; geriatric medicine; preventive medicine; social medicine.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms* / epidemiology
Male
Nocturia* / epidemiology
Prevalence
Urinary Bladder, Overactive* / epidemiology
Urinary Incontinence* / epidemiology