Effects of Frequency and Urgency on Urinary Nerve Growth Factor and Transforming Growth Factor beta-1

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Frequency and urgency are common symptoms in women. Growth factors have been reported to play a role in these irritative symptoms. This study was performed to investigate the changes in urinary growth factors according to frequency and urgency in adult female patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study groups included 30 patients with frequency and urgency and 10 normal patients as reference controls. Evaluation included history taking, urinalysis, voiding diary, and urodynamics. Voided urine was collected. The urinary concentration of nerve growth factor(NGF) and transforming growth factor beta-1(TGF-beta1) were analyzed and these results were compared with control groups. RESULTS: From the analysis of voiding diary, the degree of frequency was increased and functional bladder capacity was decreased in the frequency and urgency patients. Also, capacity for first voiding sense and full capacity were decreased in frequency and urgency patients from urodynamic study. The urinary concentration of NGF and TGF-beta1 were significantly increased in frequency and urgency patients compared with control patients. CONCLUSIONS: NGF and TGF-beta1 may play a role in irritative symptoms such as frequency and urgency and these changes can be detected in urine sample. Thus, these growth factors may be a marker to evaluate bladder function.