Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in a prospective cohort of COVID-19 survivors.

PURPOSE: To analyze the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients who survived moderate and severe forms of COVID-19 and the risk factors for LUTS six months after hospitalization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, patients were evaluated six months after hospitalization due to COVID-19. LUTS were assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Score. General health was assessed through the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the EQ5D-L5 scale, which evaluates mobility, ability to perform daily activities, pain and discomfort and completed a self-perception health evaluation. RESULTS: Of 255 participants, 54.1% were men and the median age was 57.3 [44.3 - 66.6] years. Pre-existing comorbidities included diabetes (35.7%), hypertension (54.5%), obesity (30.2%) and physical inactivity (65.5%). One hundred and twenty-four patients (48.6%) had a hospital stay >15 days, 181 (71.0%) were admitted to an ICU and 124 (48.6%) needed mechanical ventilation. Median IPSS was 6 [3-11] and did not differ between genders. Moderate to severe LUTS affected 108 (42.4%) patients (40.6% men and 44.4% women; p=0.610). Nocturia (58.4%) and frequency (45.9%) were the most prevalent symptoms and urgency was the only symptom that affected men (29.0%) and women (44.4%) differently (p=0.013). LUTS impacted the quality of life of 60 (23.5%) patients with women more severely affected (p=0.004). Diabetes, hypertension, and self-perception of worse general health were associated with LUTS. CONCLUSIONS: LUTS are highly prevalent and bothersome six months after hospitalization due to COVID-19. Assessment of LUTS may help ensure appropriate diagnosis and treatment in these patients.

Longitudinal Improvement of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Williams-Beuren Syndrome.

PURPOSE: Williams-Beuren syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by a deletion at region 7q11.23. Lower urinary tract symptoms are highly prevalent and significantly affect quality of life. We assessed the long-term outcomes of lower urinary tract symptoms in children with Williams-Beuren syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From February 2001 to July 2016, 90 patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome were evaluated in our hospital, of whom 31 (20 boys) had at least 5 years of followup. Baseline evaluation included a history of lower urinary tract symptoms, frequency-volume chart and the impact on quality of life measured on a scale of 0 (delighted) to 6 (terrible). Pharmacological therapy with oxybutynin or doxazosin was offered to symptomatic patients. We present the outcome of lower urinary tract symptoms after 5 and 10 years of followup. RESULTS: At baseline 27 (87.1%) patients were symptomatic. Median duration of followup was 10 (range 6-13) years. Pharmacological therapy was started for 25 (92.6%) symptomatic patients at baseline, including oxybutynin for 19 (76.0%), doxazosin for 1 (4.0%) and a combination of the 2 agents for 5 (20.0%). Medical therapy was still in use by 61.2% after 5 years and 52.9% after 10 years (p=0.043). Median duration of pharmacological treatment was 7 (range 6-11) years. A significant improvement of lower urinary tract symptoms was observed over time, with 35.5% and 29.5% patients considered symptomatic after 5 years and 10 years, respectively (p <0.001). Quality of life was also markedly improved over time (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This long-term study showed significant improvement of lower urinary tract symptoms in children and adolescents with Williams-Beuren syndrome over time. Long-term pharmacological treatment was needed in most patients.

Congenital genitourinary abnormalities in children with Williams-Beuren syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by a gene deletion on chromosome 7q11.23. Patients with WBS usually show a group of features such as developmental delay, cardiovascular anomalies, mental retardation, and characteristic facial appearance. Abdominal wall defects, external genitalia anomalies, and structural abnormalities of the urinary tract have been scarcely evaluated and were the focus of our study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 41 boys and 38 girls with WBS, with a mean age of 8.8 ± 4.1 (range 3-19 years). All patients were examined for the evaluation of inguinal and umbilical hernias and genital anomalies. All patients were offered a radiological evaluation, including urinary tract ultrasound, voiding cystourethrogram, and dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scintigraphy (DMSA scan). RESULTS: Of the 41 boys, 30 (73.1%) had abnormalities on physical examination, including bilateral undescended testis in 13 (31.7%), retractile testis in four (9.7%), hypospadias in four (9.7%), and unilateral cryptorchidism in three (7.3%) patients. Of the 38 female subjects, 17 (44.7%) had at least one abnormality, including umbilical hernia in 11 (28.9%), unilateral inguinal hernia in four (10.5%), and bilateral inguinal hernia in three (7.8%) patients. Uroradiological abnormalities were found in 41 patients (51.9%). On sonography, six (7.6%) patients had unilateral hydronephrosis, three (3.8%) had a duplicated collecting system, and two (2.5%) had kidney stones. On DMSA, performed in 36 patients, four (11.1%) had unilateral renal scarring and two (5.5%) had bilateral renal scarring. Cystourethrography was obtained from 56 patients, of whom 27 (48.2%) had bladder diverticulum, 18 (32.1%) had bladder wall trabeculation, and three (5.3%) had vesicoureteral reflux. We found no association of urological abnormalities with cardiovascular defects. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with WBS have a high prevalence of abdominal wall, external genitalia, and urological abnormalities, emphasizing the importance of proper physical examination and radiological investigation in this population.

Neurological status predicts response to alpha-blockers in men with voiding dysfunction and Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate predictors of the response to doxazosin, a selective alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist, when used for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms in men with Parkinson's disease. METHODS: In a prospective study, 33 consecutive men (mean age 59.2 ± 7.0 years) with Parkinson's disease and lower urinary tract symptoms were evaluated. Neurological dysfunction was assessed with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Urological assessment was performed at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment with 4 mg/day of extended-release doxazosin, including symptom evaluation with the International Continence Society male short-form questionnaire, an assessment of the impact of lower urinary tract symptoms on quality of life and urodynamics. Clinical and urodynamic predictors of response were specifically evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with the score at baseline, the total International Continence Society male short-form score was reduced after doxazosin administration, from 17.4 ± 7.5 to 11.1 ± 6.9 (p<0.001). The impact of lower urinary tract symptoms on quality of life was also significantly reduced, from 1.8 ± 1.1 to 1.0 ± 1.0 (p<0.001) and the maximum urinary flow varied from 9.3 ± 4.4 to 11.2 ± 4.6 ml/s (p=0.025). The severity of neurological impairment was the only predictor of the clinical response. Additionally, patients with a Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale score lower than 70 had a significantly higher chance of clinical improvement with doxazosin treatment than those with higher Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale scores did (RR=3.10, 95% CI=[1.15 to 5.37], p=0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Doxazosin resulted in the improvement of lower urinary tract symptoms and the maximum flow rate and was well tolerated in men with Parkinson's disease. The response to treatment is dependent on the severity of neurological disability.

Neurological status predicts response to alpha-blockers in men with voiding dysfunction and Parkinson's disease

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate predictors of the response to doxazosin, a selective alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist, when used for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms in men with Parkinson's disease. METHODS: In a prospective study, 33 consecutive men (mean age 59.2±7.0 years) with Parkinson's disease and lower urinary tract symptoms were evaluated. Neurological dysfunction was assessed with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Urological assessment was performed at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment with 4 mg/day of extended-release doxazosin, including symptom evaluation with the International Continence Society male short-form questionnaire, an assessment of the impact of lower urinary tract symptoms on quality of life and urodynamics. Clinical and urodynamic predictors of response were specifically evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with the score at baseline, the total International Continence Society male short-form score was reduced after doxazosin administration, from 17.4±7.5 to 11.1±6.9 (p<0.001). The impact of lower urinary tract symptoms on quality of life was also significantly reduced, from 1.8±1.1 to 1.0±1.0 (p<0.001) and the maximum urinary flow varied from 9.3±4.4 to 11.2±4.6 ml/s (p = 0.025). The severity of neurological impairment ...

The effects of oxybutynin on urinary symptoms in children with Williams-Beuren syndrome.

PURPOSE: Williams-Beuren syndrome is a genomic disorder caused by a hemizygous contiguous gene deletion on chromosome 7q11.23. Lower urinary tract symptoms are common in children with Williams-Beuren syndrome. However, there are few data on the management of voiding symptoms in this population. We report our experience using oxybutynin to treat urinary symptoms in children with Williams-Beuren syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively analyzed 42 patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome and significant lower urinary tract symptoms due to detrusor overactivity diagnosed on urodynamics in a 12-week, open-label study. Urological assessment included symptomatic evaluation, the impact of lower urinary tract symptoms on quality of life, frequency-volume chart, urodynamics and urinary tract sonography. After 12 weeks of treatment with 0.6 mg/kg oxybutynin per day given in 3 daily doses, patients were assessed for treatment efficacy and side effects. RESULTS: A total of 17 girls and 19 boys completed medical therapy and were assessed at 12 weeks. Mean ± SD patient age was 9.2 ± 4.3 years (range 3 to 18). The most common urinary complaint was urgency, which occurred in 31 patients (86.1%), followed by urge incontinence, which was seen in 29 (80.5%). Compared to baseline, urinary symptoms were substantially improved. The negative impact of storage symptoms on quality of life was significantly decreased from a mean ± SD of 3.3 ± 1.7 to 0.5 ± 0.9 (p <0.001). Mean ± SD maximum urinary flow improved from 14.2 ± 15.0 to 20.5 ± 6.4 ml per second (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A total of 12 weeks of therapy with 0.6 mg/kg oxybutynin daily resulted in improvement of lower urinary tract symptoms, quality of life and maximum flow rate in most patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome.

Voiding dysfunction in patients with Parkinson's disease: impact of neurological impairment and clinical parameters.

AIMS: We assessed the lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and their association with different clinical parameters. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 110 patients (84 men), with a mean age of 61.8 +/- 9.6 years. Mean duration of the disease was 12.3 +/- 7.2 years. Neurological impairment was assessed by the Hoehn-Yahr and the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating scales. LUTS were assessed by the International Continence Society questionnaire. We evaluated the impact of age, PD duration, neurological impairment, gender, and use of anti-Parkinsonian drugs on the voiding function. RESULTS: On multivariate analysis, voiding dysfunction increased with the neurological impairment, but not with patient's age or disease duration. Quality of life (QOL) was affected by the severity of LUTS, and the symptoms with the worst impact were frequency and nocturia. Sixty-three (57.2%) patients were symptomatic. They did not differ with the asymptomatic as to age and disease duration, but had more severe neurological impairment. No impact on LUTS was associated with the use of levodopa, anticholinergics, and dopamine receptor agonists. Men and women were similarly affected by urinary symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of the neurological disease is the only predictive factor for the occurrence of voiding dysfunction, which affects men and women alike.

Voiding dysfunction and the Williams-Beuren syndrome: a clinical and urodynamic investigation.

PURPOSE: WBS is an autosomal dominant disorder that includes features such as developmental delay, cardiovascular anomalies, mental retardation and characteristic facial appearance. We systematically investigated the prevalence and spectrum of voiding dysfunction in this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 16 boys and 12 girls with WBS, with a mean age of 9.7 years (range 3 to 19). Urological evaluation included history of urinary symptoms and impact on quality of life, voiding diary, urodynamics and radiological evaluation with urinary tract sonography, voiding cystourethrography and renal scintigraphy. RESULTS: A total of 22 patients (78.6%) were symptomatic, including 15 (53.6%) with a significant negative impact on the quality of life. Increased urinary frequency was the most common complaint, present in 17 patients (60.7%), followed by enuresis (50%) and urge incontinence (42.8%). A total of 14 patients (50%) had urinary tract abnormalities, with bladder diverticula as the predominant anomaly (10 of 23 patients, or 43.5%). Urodynamics revealed detrusor overactivity in 17 patients (60.7%), detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia with detrusor overactivity in 4 (14.3%) and detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia without detrusor overactivity in 2 (7.1%). An average reduction of 28.3% of the cystometric capacity in comparison to expected capacity for age was found (p <0.001). Urodynamic abnormalities were significantly associated with the presence of voiding symptoms (p = 0.003) and bladder diverticula (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Children with the Williams-Beuren syndrome are at high risk for presenting with voiding dysfunction and structural abnormalities, and should undergo a minimum evaluation that includes voiding history and urinary tract sonography, while urodynamics, VCUG and additional studies should be performed in symptomatic patients or those whose initial evaluation shows significant abnormalities.