Impact of LUTS using bother index in DAN-PSS-1 questionnaire.

OBJECTIVES

To quantify the bothersomeness of urinary symptoms in males with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

METHODS

A population-based postal survey of urinary symptoms among 2837 men aged 55, 65, or 75 years was conducted. The response rate was 75%, and data of both symptom and bother questions were eligible for 1803-2046 men, depending on the question. Bothersomeness of each urinary symptom was measured with a bother index (BI) as a ratio of the number of men with a bother score higher than a symptom score to that with a bother score lower than a symptom score. The BI was compared with the relative risk (RR), the prevalence of men with bother to those with symptom.

RESULTS

Urgency (46%) and postmicturition dribble (42%) were the most common symptoms. Any type of incontinence was considered highly bothersome (BI: 1.79-3.70). In light of the BI, most voiding and postmicturition symptoms except weak stream (BI: 1.14) were well tolerated. The variation of the BI (0.06-3.70) was substantially larger than that of RR (0.53-0.89) of the urinary symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Bothersomeness of a symptom is an independent contribution in the assessment of LUTS. The BI may be a useful indicator of bothersomeness of urinary symptoms. The greater variation of the BI than that of RR indicates that the BI provides information on LUTS that cannot be described by prevalence or prevalence ratio only.