Association among the symptoms, quality of life and urodynamic parameters in patients with improved lower urinary tract symptoms following a transurethral resection of the prostate.

AIMS

To investigate the associations of symptoms and the quality of life (QOL) with objective variables in a strictly selected large cohort of subjects with symptomatic benign prostatic obstruction (BPO).

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted in 557 males with BPO in whom a symptomatic improvement had been achieved by transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), thus suggesting that their lower urinary tract symptoms were primarily due to BPO. The association between the preoperative International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and QOL score with objective variables including the residual volumes, prostate size and urodynamic parameters was statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

Maximum flow rate (Q(max)) positively and a residual urine volume (PVR) negatively correlated with symptoms and QOL score. Detrusor overactivity (DO) also was weakly, but broadly associated with the symptoms. Degree of detrusor contractility and bladder capacity had a weak association with only some storage symptoms. The degree of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) positively related to the scores on urgency, straining and total IPSS. Patients' age had positive correlation with the score on nocturia. The prostate volume was only negligibly correlated with either any symptoms or the QOL score.

CONCLUSIONS

Parameters, such as Q(max) or PVR, obtained from the noninvasive urodynamics were most widely correlated with symptoms and QOL. Despite a large group with strict selection of men with LUTS possibly relating to BPO being studied, only weak association between the symptoms or QOL and objective parameters including urodynamics was confirmed.