Structural Changes in Brain White Matter Tracts Associated with Overactive Bladder Revealed by Diffusion Tensor MRI: Findings from a LURN Cross-Sectional Case-Control Study.

PURPOSE: To investigate structural changes in brain white matter tracts using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) in patients with overactive bladder (OAB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Treatment-seeking OAB patients and matched controls enrolled in the cross-sectional case-control Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network Neuroimaging Study received a brain DTI scan. Microstructural integrity of brain white matter was assessed using fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD). OAB and urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) symptoms were assessed using the OAB Questionnaire Short-Form (OAB-q) and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-UI. The Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) Tool UUI questions and responses were correlated with FA values. RESULTS: Among 221 participants with evaluable DTI data, 146 had OAB (66 urinary urgency [UU]-only without UUI, 80 with UUI); 75 were controls. Compared with controls, participants with OAB showed decreased FA and increased MD, representing greater microstructural abnormalities of brain white matter tracts among OAB participants. These abnormalities occurred in the corpus callosum, bilateral anterior thalamic radiation and superior longitudinal fasciculus tracts, and bilateral insula and para-hippocampal region. Among participants with OAB, higher OAB-q scores were associated with decreased FA in the left inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, P < .0001. DTI differences between OAB and controls were driven by the UU-only (OAB-dry) but not the UUI (OAB-wet) subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormalities in microstructural integrity in specific brain white matter tracts were more frequent in OAB patients. More severe OAB symptoms were correlated with greater degree of microstructural abnormalities in brain white matter tracts in patients with OAB.

Contribution of Hypersensitivity to Postureteroscopy Ureteral Stent Pain: Findings From Study to Enhance Understanding of Stent-associated Symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationships between preoperative hypersensitivity to pain and central sensitization, and postoperative ureteral stent pain after ureteroscopy (URS) for urinary stones. METHODS: Adults enrolled in the STudy to Enhance uNderstanding of sTent-associated Symptoms (STENTS) underwent quantitative sensory testing (QST) prior to URS and stent placement. Hypersensitivity to mechanical pain was assessed using a pressure algometer. Participants rated their pain intensity to pressure applied to the ipsilateral flank area and lower abdominal quadrant on the side of planned stent placement, and the contralateral forearm (control). Pressure pain thresholds were also assessed. Central sensitization was assessed by applying a pointed stimulator (pinprick) and calculating the temporal summation. Postoperative stent pain intensity and interference were assessed using PROMIS questionnaires. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures mixed-effects linear models. RESULTS: Among the 412 participants, the median age was 54.0years, and 46% were female. Higher preoperative pain ratings to 2 kg and 4 kg mechanical pressure to the ipsilateral flank and abdominal areas were associated with higher postoperative stent pain intensity with the stent in situ. Greater degree of central sensitization preoperatively, manifesting as higher temporal summation, was associated with higher postoperative pain intensity. Factors associated with preoperative hypersensitivity on QST included female sex, presence of chronic pain conditions, widespread pain, and depression. CONCLUSION: Hypersensitivity to pain and central sensitization preoperatively was associated with postoperative ureteral stent pain, suggesting a physiologic basis for stent symptom variation. QST may identify patients more likely to develop stent pain after URS and could inform selection for preventive and interventional strategies.

Relationships Between Urinary and Nonurinary Symptoms in Treatment-Seeking Women in LURN.

IMPORTANCE: Physical health and psychological health represent modifiable factors in the causal pathway of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). OBJECTIVES: Understand the relationship between physical and psychological factors and LUTS over time. STUDY DESIGN: Adult women enrolled in the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network observational cohort study completed the LUTS Tool and Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory, including urinary (Urinary Distress Inventory), prolapse (Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory), and colorectal anal (Colorectal-Anal Distress Inventory) subscales at baseline, 3 months, and 12 months. Physical functioning, depression, and sleep disturbance were measured using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) questionnaires; relationships were assessed using multivariable linear mixed models. RESULTS: Of 545 women enrolled, 472 had follow-up. Median age was 57 years; 61% and 78% reported stress urinary incontinence and overactive bladder, respectively; and 81% reported obstructive symptoms. The PROMIS depression scores were positively associated with all urinary outcomes (range, 2.5- to 4.8-unit increase per 10-unit increase in depression score; P < 0.01 for all). Higher sleep disturbance scores were associated with higher urgency, obstruction, LUTS Total Severity, Urinary Distress Inventory, and Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (1.9- to 3.4-point increase per 10-unit increase, all P < 0.02). Better physical functioning was associated with less severe urinary symptoms except stress urinary incontinence (2.3- to 5.2-point decrease per 10-unit increase, all P < 0.01). All symptoms decreased over time; however, no association was detected between baseline PROMIS scores and trajectories of LUTS over time. CONCLUSIONS: Nonurologic factors demonstrated small to medium cross-sectional associations with urinary symptom domains, but no significant association was detected with changes in LUTS. Further work is needed to determine whether interventions targeting nonurologic factors reduce LUTS in women.

Epidemiology of Infantile Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction in the US.

OBJECTIVE: To describe sex- and diagnosis-specific comorbidities, outcomes, and secular trends associated with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) in a large, real-world population diagnosed with hydronephrosis in infancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified all infants ≤1 year old with ≥1 claim in the Optum Clinformatics 2007-2020 nationwide population database and used univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses to estimate associations of demographic and clinical characteristics of infants with a UPJO diagnosis with surgical status. RESULTS: Of 22,349 infants with hydronephrosis (1.1% of infants; males-1.4%, females-0.7%), 1722 (7.7%; 7.9%-males, 7.2%-females) had UPJO. Follow-up was ≥1 year in 1198 (70%) and ≥3 years in 555 (32%) cases, and UPJO repair was performed in 542 children (31.5%; 32.3%-males, 29.5%-females); 77.7% within 1 year and 97.3% within 3 years. UPJO repair was associated with prior urinary tract infection (UTI) (hazard ratio (HR) 1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-1.76) and South (HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.14-1.78) or Midwest (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.26-2.04) geographic region but did not change over time. CONCLUSION: This population-based study provides a real-world view of postnatally diagnosed hydronephrosis, focusing on UPJO, for which 522 cases (∼1/3) had ≥3 years continuous coverage. UPJO-associated comorbidities were more common in females, and the frequencies of UPJO-associated surgery and comorbidities were higher than in other studies. Other than UTI, no other associated kidney or urinary tract diagnoses were associated with UPJO repair. We identified unique sex- and diagnosis-specific differences in associated comorbidities and interventions in children diagnosed with UPJO in the first year of life.

Naturalistic Bladder Filling Reveals Subtypes in Overactive Bladder Syndrome That Differentially Engages Urinary Urgency-Related Brain Circuits: Results From the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN).

PURPOSE: Overactive bladder (OAB) may be attributed to dysfunction in supraspinal brain circuits. Overactive bladder participants enrolled in the LURN (Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network) study reported sensations of urinary urgency during a bladder-filling paradigm while undergoing brain functional MRI to map supraspinal dysfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: OAB participants and controls (CONs) completed 2 resting-state functional MRI scans following consumption of 350 mL water. Scans were conducted at fuller and emptier bladder states, interleaved with voiding. Urgency ratings (0-10) were assessed. Patterns of urgency during bladder filling were investigated using latent class trajectory models. Clusters of participants encompassing each pattern (ie, subtype) were derived from aggregated groups of OAB and CON independent of diagnosis. RESULTS: Two distinct patterns of urgency trajectories were revealed: first subtype with OAB and CON who were unresponsive to bladder filling (OAB-1 and CON-1) and second highly responsive subtype predominantly containing OAB (OAB-2). OAB-2 participants scored significantly higher on urinary symptoms but not pain or psychosocial measures. Neuroimaging analyses showed change in urgency due to both bladder filling and voided volume related to multiple loci of brain network connectivity in OAB-2, and in some cases, different than OAB-1 and/or CON-1. Sensorimotor to dorsomedial/dorsolateral prefrontal connectivity mediated the relationship between stimulus (voided volume) and percept (urgency) in OAB-2. CONCLUSIONS: Our results reveal different OAB subtypes with latent class trajectory models of urgency ratings during natural bladder filling. Functional MRI revealed differences in pathophysiology between subtypes, namely sensorimotor-prefrontal connectivity is a key locus in OAB patients with higher urinary symptoms.

Development and validation of models predicting treatment patterns in women with urinary urgency and/or urgency incontinence: A Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network observational cohort study.

PURPOSE: To develop a tool to predict a woman's treatment pattern for bothersome urinary urgency (UU) and/or UU incontinence over 1 year after presenting for care at urology or urogynecology clinics. METHODS: The Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network observational cohort study enrolled adult women with bothersome UU and/or UU incontinence using the lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) Tool who were seeking care for LUTS. Treatments for UU and/or urgency incontinence were ordered from least to most invasive. Ordinal logistic and Cox proportional hazard regression models were fit to predict the most invasive level of treatment during follow-up and overactive bladder (OAB) medication discontinuation, respectively. Binary logistic regression was performed to predict sling treatment during the study follow-up. Clinical tools were then created using the models listed above to predict treatment pattern over 12 months. RESULTS: Among 349 women, 281 reported UU incontinence, and 68 reported UU at baseline. The highest level of treatment during the study was as follows: 20% no treatment, 24% behavioral treatments, 23% physical therapy, 26% OAB medication, 1% percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation, 3% onabotulinumtoxin A, and 3% sacral neuromodulation. Slings were placed in 10% (n = 36) of participants before baseline and in 11% (n = 40) during study follow-up. Baseline factors associated with predicting the most invasive level of treatment included baseline level of treatment, hypertension, UU incontinence severity, stress urinary incontinence (SUI) severity, and anticholinergic burden score. Less severe baseline depression and less severe UU incontinence were associated with OAB medication discontinuation. UU and SUI severity were associated with sling placement during the study period. Three tools are available to predict: (1) highest level of treatment; (2) OAB medication discontinuation; and (3) sling placement. CONCLUSIONS: OAB treatment prediction tools developed in this study can help providers individualize treatment plans and identify not only patients at risk for treatment discontinuation but also patients who may not be escalated to potentially beneficial OAB treatments, with the goal to improve clinical outcomes for patients suffering from this chronic and often debilitating condition.

Patients' Experiences With the Removal of a Ureteral Stent: Insights From In-depth Interviews With Participants in the USDRN STENTS Qualitative Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the experiences of patients undergoing stent removal in the USDRN Study to Enhance Understanding of Stent-Associated Symptoms (STENTS), a prospective, observational cohort study of patients with short-term ureteral stent placement post-ureteroscopy. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using in-depth interviews. Participants reflected on (1) painful or bothersome aspects of stent removal, (2) symptoms immediately after removal, and (3) symptoms in the days following removal. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using applied thematic analysis. RESULTS: The 38 participants interviewed were aged 13-77 years, 55% female, and 95% White. Interviews were conducted 7-30 days after stent removal. Almost all participants (n = 31) described that they experienced either pain or discomfort during stent removal, but for most (n = 25) pain was of short duration. Many participants (n = 21) described anticipatory anxiety related to the procedure, and several (n = 11) discussed discomfort arising from lack of privacy or feeling exposed. Interactions with medical providers often helped put participants at ease, but also increased discomfort for some. Following stent removal, several participants described lingering pain and/or urinary symptoms, but these largely resolved within 24 hours. A few participants described symptoms persisting for more than a day post stent removal. CONCLUSION: These findings on patients' experiences during and shortly after ureteral stent removal, particularly the psychological distress they experienced, identify opportunities for improvement in patient care. Clear communication from providers about what to expect with the removal procedure, and the possibility of delayed pain, may help patients adapt to discomfort.

The Patient Voice: Stent Experiences After Ureteroscopy-Insights from In-Depth Interviews with Participants in the USDRN STENTS Nested Qualitative Cohort Study.

Purpose: Ureteral stents are commonly used after ureteroscopy and cause significant discomfort, yet qualitative perspectives on patients' stent experiences remain unknown. We describe psychological, functional, and interpersonal effects of post-ureteroscopy stents and whether additional patient-reported assessments may be needed. Materials and Methods: Using a qualitative descriptive study design, we conducted in-depth interviews with a nested cohort of participants in the STudy to Enhance uNderstanding of sTent-associated Symptoms (STENTS). Participants shared their symptoms with a post-ureteroscopy stent and described symptom bother and impact on daily activities. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using applied thematic analysis. During analysis, participants' experiences with interference in daily activities were categorized into three groups based on their impact: minimal, moderate, and substantial. Results: All 39 participants experienced pain, although descriptions varied and differentiated between feelings of pain vs discomfort. Almost all experienced urinary symptoms. Only a few reported other physical symptoms, although several psychological aspects were identified. In the areas of sleep, mood, life enjoyment, work, exercise, activities of daily living, driving, childcare, and leisure/social activities, the stent had little impact on daily living among participants placed in the minimal group (n = 12) and far greater impact for participants in the substantial group (n = 8). For patients in the moderate group (n = 19), some daily activities were moderately or substantially affected, whereas other activities were minimally affected. Conclusions: Counseling to better prepare patients for the impact of stent-associated symptoms may help mitigate symptom burden. While existing instruments adequately cover most symptoms, additional assessments for other domains, particularly psychological factors, may be needed.

Widespread Pain Phenotypes Impact Treatment Efficacy Results in Randomized Clinical Trials for Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: A MAPP Network Study.

Clinical trials of pain are notoriously difficult and inefficient in demonstrating efficacy even for known efficacious treatments. Determining the appropriate pain phenotype to study can be problematic. Recent work has identified the extend of widespread pain as an important factor in the likelihood of response to therapy, but has not been tested in clinical trials. Using data from three previously published negative studies of the treatment of interstitial cystitis/ bladder pain with data on the extent of widespread pain, we examined the response of patients to different therapies base on the amount of pain beyond the pelvis. Participants with predominately local but not widespread pain responded to therapy targeting local symptoms. Participants with widespread and local pain responded to therapy targeting widespread pain. Differentiating patients with and without widespread pain phenotypes may be a key feature of designing future pain clinical trials to demonstrate treatments that are effective versus not.

Risk Factors for Increased Stent-associated Symptoms Following Ureteroscopy for Urinary Stones: Results From STENTS.

PURPOSE: The STudy to Enhance uNderstanding of sTent-associated Symptoms sought to identify risk factors for pain and urinary symptoms, as well as how these symptoms interfere with daily activities after ureteroscopy for stone treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective observational cohort study enrolled patients aged ≥12 years undergoing ureteroscopy with ureteral stent for stone treatment at 4 clinical centers. Participants reported symptoms at baseline; on postoperative days 1, 3, 5; at stent removal; and day 30 post-stent removal. Outcomes of pain intensity, pain interference, urinary symptoms, and bother were captured with multiple instruments. Multivariable analyses using mixed-effects linear regression models were identified characteristics associated with increased stent-associated symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 424 participants were enrolled. Mean age was 49 years (SD 17); 47% were female. Participants experienced a marked increase in stent-associated symptoms on postoperative day 1. While pain intensity decreased ∼50% from postoperative day 1 to postoperative day 5, interference due to pain remained persistently elevated. In multivariable analysis, older age was associated with lower pain intensity (P = .004). Having chronic pain conditions (P < .001), prior severe stent pain (P = .021), and depressive symptoms at baseline (P < .001) were each associated with higher pain intensity. Neither sex, stone location, ureteral access sheath use, nor stent characteristics were drivers of stent-associated symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In this multicenter cohort, interference persisted even as pain intensity decreased. Patient factors (eg, age, depression) rather than surgical factors were associated with symptom intensity. These findings provide a foundation for patient-centered care and highlight potential targets for efforts to mitigate the burden of stent-associated symptoms.

Treatment patterns in women with urinary urgency and/or urgency urinary incontinence in the symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network Observational Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Limited epidemiological data exist describing how patients engage with various treatments for overactive bladder (OAB). To improve care for patients with OAB, it is essential to gain a better understanding of how patients interface with OAB treatments longitudinally, that is, how often patients change treatments and the pattern of this treatment change in terms of escalation and de-escalation. OBJECTIVES: To describe treatment patterns for women with bothersome urinary urgency (UU) and/or urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) presenting to specialty care over 1 year. STUDY DESIGN: The Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) study enrolled adult women with bothersome UU and/or UUI seeking care for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) between January 2015 and September 2016. An ordinal logistic regression model was fitted to describe the probabilities of escalating or de-escalating level of treatment during 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: Among 349 women, 281 reported UUI and 68 reported UU at baseline. At the end of 1 year of treatment by a urologist or urogynecologist, the highest level of treatment received by participants was 5% expectant management, 36% behavioral treatments (BT), 26% physical therapy (PT), 26% OAB medications, 1% percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation, 3% intradetrusor onabotulinum toxin A injection, and 3% sacral neuromodulation. Participants using BT or PT at baseline were more likely to be de-escalated to no treatment than participants on OAB medications at baseline, who tended to stay on medications. Predictors of the highest level of treatment included starting level of treatment, hypertension, UUI severity, stress urinary incontinence, and anticholinergic burden score. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment patterns for UU and UUI are diverse. Even for patients with significant bother from OAB presenting to specialty clinics, further treatment often only involves conservative or medical therapies. This study highlights the need for improved treatment algorithms to escalate patients with persistent symptoms, or to adjust care in those who have been unsuccessfully treated.

Total fluid intake, caffeine, and other bladder irritant avoidance among adults having urinary urgency with and without urgency incontinence: The Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN).

INTRODUCTION: Caffeine has long been vilified as a cause for urinary urgency incontinence (UUI) along with other potential bladder irritants such as carbonation, alcohol, and acidic juices. The objective of this study was to assess the fluid intake behavior of people with urgency, UUI, and those with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) without UUI or urgency to assess if they avoided certain potential bladder irritants or had different fluid intake. We hypothesized that patients with UUI would avoid caffeine as a self-management method more so than these other two groups. METHODS: Treatment-seeking men and women with LUTS in the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) Observational Cohort study completed a baseline 3-day voiding and intake diary. "Complete" diaries had 3 days of data and no missing intake or voided volumes. Beverages with any caffeine, alcohol, carbonation, or acidic juice were identified and the total volume was recorded as well as the type of beverage containing caffeine to calculate the daily caffeine dose. RESULTS: Four hundred and ninety-one participants (277 men and 214 women) with a median age of 63 had complete diaries. Urinary urgency was more prevalent in women than men (79% vs. 55%, p < 0.0001) as was UUI (84% vs. 47%, p < 0.0001). Total fluid intake over 3 days was lower among the urgency group versus the nonurgency group (median [interquartile range] 5.2 [4.0-6.8] L vs. 5.7 [4.3-7.0] L, p = 0.028) and the UUI group compared to the urgency without incontinence group were less likely to consume alcohol (26% vs. 37%, p = 0.04). After adjusting for sex, BMI, age, and total intake volume, UUI participants had 54% lower odds of consuming any caffeine (odds ratio = 0.46, 95% confidence interval = 0.22-0.96, p = 0.04) than those without incontinence, but among those that did consume caffeine, no difference in the volume of caffeinated beverages or milligrams of caffeine consumed was detected between those with UUI and those with urgency without incontinence. No difference in carbonation or acidic juice intake was detected between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with urgency consume a lower volume of fluid than those without urgency. UUI participants more often abstain from caffeine, but among those that consume caffeine, the dose is similar to those without UUI. One explanation for these results is that only a subset of individuals with urgency or UUI are caffeine sensitive.

Phenotyping of Urinary Urgency Patients Without Urgency Incontinence, and Their Comparison to Urgency Incontinence Patients: Findings From the LURN Study.

PURPOSE: We characterize patients with urinary urgency with vs without urgency urinary incontinence who presented to clinics actively seeking treatment for their symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants who enrolled in the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network were categorized into urinary urgency with vs without urgency urinary incontinence. Participants were followed for 1 year; their urinary symptoms, urological pain, psychosocial factors, bowel function, sleep disturbance, physical activity levels, physical function, and quality of life were compared. Mixed effects linear regression models were used to examine the relationships between urgency urinary incontinence and these factors. RESULTS: Among 683 participants with urinary urgency at baseline, two-thirds (n=453) also had urgency urinary incontinence; one-third (n=230) had urinary urgency-only without urgency urinary incontinence. No differences were detected in urological pain between urinary urgency-only and urgency urinary incontinence. Those with urgency urinary incontinence had more severe urgency and frequency symptoms, higher depression, anxiety, perceived stress scores, more severe bowel dysfunction and sleep disturbance, lower physical activity levels, lower physical function, and worse quality of life than those with urinary urgency-only. Among those with urinary urgency-only at baseline, 40% continued to have urinary urgency-only, 15% progressed to urgency urinary incontinence, and 45% had no urgency at 12 months. Fifty-eight percent with urgency urinary incontinence at baseline continued to report urgency urinary incontinence at 12 months, while 15% improved to urinary urgency-only, and 27% had no urgency. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with urgency urinary incontinence have severe storage symptoms, more psychosocial symptoms, poorer physical functioning, and worse quality of life. Our data suggested urgency urinary incontinence may be a more severe manifestation of urinary urgency, rather than urinary urgency and urgency urinary incontinence being distinct entities.

Comparing clinical bladder diaries and recalled patient reports for measuring lower urinary tract symptoms in the symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN).

PURPOSE: Bladder diaries are a key source of information about lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS); however, many patients do not complete them as instructed. Questionnaire-based patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are another option for reporting LUTS but may have recall bias. We assessed the strength of the associations between PROMs and a 3-day bladder diary. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Symptomatic adults from 6 tertiary care sites completed a 3-day paper bladder diary and 3-, 7-, and 30-day electronic PROMs. We assessed the linear associations between mapped pairs of diary variables and responses to PROM items using biserial and polyserial correlation coefficients with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Of 290 enrolled participants, 175 (60%) completed the bladder diary as instructed and at least one corresponding PROM. Linear associations were strongest between the diary and 3-day recall of daytime frequency (r = 0.75) and nighttime frequency (r = 0.69), followed by voids with urgency sensations (r = 0.62), and an item reporting any incontinence (r = 0.56). Linear associations between bladder diary and specific incontinence variables (e.g., stress, urgency) were low to negligible (ranging from r = 0.16-0.39). Linear associations were consistent across the 3-, 7-, and 30-day recall periods. CONCLUSIONS: Missing and unusable bladder diary data were common, highlighting the patient burden associated with this method of data collection. A questionnaire-based PROM is a reasonable alternative to a diary for reporting voiding frequency and may offer an easier option for reporting some symptoms.

Evolution of healthcare costs for lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

PURPOSE: With the ubiquity of lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH) in older men, costs related to this highly prevalent disease are likely significant but not well defined. With this study, we hoped to define costs related to LUTS/BPH care. METHODS: We utilized the Optum© de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart Database (CDM) for privately insured male enrollees aged 40-64 years with LUTS/BPH (N ≈ 100,300 annually) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Medicare 5% Sample for male beneficiaries aged 65 + years with LUTS/BPH (N ≈ 147,800 annually). Annual LUTS/BPH-related expenditures from 2004 to 2013 were age standardized and calculated overall and by age and service location. RESULTS: The Medicare cohort demonstrated a 23% increase in total costs over the study period with a 28% decrease in CDM costs. Decreases in inpatient hospital charges (45% for Medicare, 55% for CDM) were offset by increasing hospital-based outpatient fees (120% for Medicare, 87% for CDM). Overall, we estimated a total cost of at least $1.9 billion for treatment of men with LUTS/BPH for 2013. Per person expenditures increased with age within cohorts with an average per-person cost of $269 (CDM) and $248 (Medicare) in 2013. CONCLUSION: The distribution of healthcare expenditures for LUTS/BPH shifted across practice settings from 2004 to 2013, with increasing outpatient relative to inpatient expenditures. Total direct costs for LUTS/BPH in 2013 were at least $1.9 billion, not accounting for indirect costs or certain unmeasured populations.

Quality of life impact and recovery after ureteroscopy and stent insertion: insights from daily surveys in STENTS.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to describe day-to-day evolution and variations in patient-reported stent-associated symptoms (SAS) in the STudy to Enhance uNderstanding of sTent-associated Symptoms (STENTS), a prospective multicenter observational cohort study, using multiple instruments with conceptual overlap in various domains. METHODS: In a nested cohort of the STENTS study, the initial 40 participants having unilateral ureteroscopy (URS) and stent placement underwent daily assessment of self-reported measures using the Brief Pain Inventory short form, Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System measures for pain severity and pain interference, the Urinary Score of the Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire, and Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network Symptom Index. Pain intensity, pain interference, urinary symptoms, and bother were obtained preoperatively, daily until stent removal, and at postoperative day (POD) 30. RESULTS: The median age was 44 years (IQR 29,58), and 53% were female. The size of the dominant stone was 7.5 mm (IQR 5,11), and 50% were located in the kidney. There was consistency among instruments assessing similar concepts. Pain intensity and urinary symptoms increased from baseline to POD 1 with apparent peaks in the first 2 days, remained elevated with stent in situ, and varied widely among individuals. Interference due to pain, and bother due to urinary symptoms, likewise demonstrated high individual variability. CONCLUSIONS: This first study investigating daily SAS allows for a more in-depth look at the lived experience after URS and the impact on quality of life. Different instruments measuring pain intensity, pain interference, and urinary symptoms produced consistent assessments of patients' experiences. The overall daily stability of pain and urinary symptoms after URS was also marked by high patient-level variation, suggesting an opportunity to identify characteristics associated with severe SAS after URS.

Impact of Sleep Disturbance, Physical Function, Depression and Anxiety on Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: Results from the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN).

PURPOSE: The impact of nonurological factors on male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) remains unclear. We investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations among anxiety, depression, physical function, sleep quality and urinary symptom subdomains. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from 518 men in the LURN (Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network) study were analyzed to identify associations between Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System® (PROMIS®) depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance and physical function measures and LUTS subdomains, as derived from the American Urological Association Symptom Index and LUTS Tool. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess the relationships between PROMIS measures and LUTS subdomains at baseline and at 3- and 12-month followup. RESULTS: Baseline depression and anxiety were associated with urinary incontinence (p <0.001), voiding symptoms (p <0.001) and quality of life (p=0.002), whereas baseline sleep disturbance was associated with voiding and storage symptoms and quality of life (p <0.001 for all). Urinary symptom severity improved in all subdomains at 3 and 12 months. Similar associations between PROMIS measures and LUTS subdomains were observed at all time points, but baseline depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance and physical function measures were not associated with longitudinal trajectories of LUTS. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary symptom subdomains are independently associated with modifiable clinical variables including sleep quality and depression at all time points, but these variables do not predict the degree of improvement in LUTS following urological evaluation and treatment over the medium term. Bidirectional assessment and randomized experiments may improve our understanding of these relationships.

Experimental Pain and Auditory Sensitivity in Overactive Bladder Syndrome: A Symptoms of the Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) Study.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of nonbladder sensory abnormalities in participants with overactive bladder syndrome (OAB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN) study participants with OAB symptoms and controls were recruited from 6 U.S. tertiary referral centers. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) was performed to determine pressure pain sensitivity at the thumbnail bed and auditory sensitivity. Fixed and mixed effect multivariable linear regressions and Weibull models were used to compare QST responses between groups. Pearson correlations were used to assess the relationship between QST measures. Associations between QST and self-reported symptoms were explored with linear regression. RESULTS: A total of 297 participants were analyzed (191 OAB, 106 controls; 76% white, 51% male). OAB cases were older than controls (57.4 vs 52.2 years, p=0.015). No significant differences in experimental thumbnail (nonbladder) pain or auditory sensitivity were detected between OAB cases and controls. Correlations between pressure and auditory derived metrics were weak to moderate overall for both groups, with some significantly stronger correlations for cases. Exploratory analyses indicated increased pressure pain and auditory sensitivity were modestly associated with greater self-reported bladder pain and pain interference with physical function. CONCLUSIONS: As a group, no significant differences between OAB cases and controls were observed in experimental nonbladder pain or auditory sensitivity during QST. Associations between QST outcomes and clinical pain raise the possibility of centrally mediated sensory amplification in some individuals with OAB.