Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Chronic Stroke Survivors: Frequency and Impact on Quality of Life

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms in chronic stroke patients and their impact on the perceived quality of life. METHOD: Thirty-eight patients who had suffered unilateral stroke at least 3 months prior to enrollment and showed no severe communication disorder were evaluated. Frequency of lower urinary tract symptoms and their impact on the quality of life were assessed using the Korean version of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and an impact question. The correlation between each symptom score and the perceived quality of life was analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 89.5% of the participants were symptomatic, of which 58.9% complained of moderate to severe symptoms. Nocturia, frequency, and straining were the most frequent symptoms and urgency was the least. The `quality of life' score showed a high correlation with the total IPSS score (p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that obstructive symptom was a significant predictor for dissatisfaction. CONCLUSION: The frequencies of lower urinary tract symptoms are high in chronic stroke patients. And they have significant influence on the perceived quality of life in chronic stroke survivors.