Prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms in a community-based survey of men in Turkey

Aim: The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), assess the impact of LUTS on quality of life (QOL) and compare the results with recent reports from other population-based studies. Methods: A total of 266 men participated in the study. The men were stratified into 10-year age groups between 40 and 79 years. All participants were asked to complete a questionnaire that included a Turkish translation of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) with QOL questions, and void into a uroflowmeter to obtain voided urine volume, peak and mean flow rate. Results: While 14.8% of men had no symptoms (IPSS = 0), 24.9% had moderate to severe symptoms (IPSS> 7). Severity of symptoms increased with age (P = 0.0018). There was a strong relationship between bother score and IPSS (rs = 0.79, P = 0.0001). Fifty-five percent of moderately symptomatic and 78% of severely symptomatic men reported poor QOL (QOL score greater than or equal to 3). The results of the survey provide a general picture of the symptomatology and urinary flow profiles of elderly men living in Turkey. Conclusion: The prevalence of LUTS in the Turkish community is fairly high, it increases with age and has an impact on QOL that is not negligible.