The impact of lower urinary tract symptoms on health-related quality of life among patients with multiple sclerosis

• Published in: Neurourology and urodynamics 2016-01, Vol.35 (1), p.48-54
• Main Authors: Khalaf, Kristin M., Coyne, Karin S., Globe, Denise R., Malone, Daniel C., Armstrong, Edward P., Patel, Vaishali, Burks, Jack
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; epidemiology; Female; Health Status; Health Surveys; Humans; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms - etiology; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms - physiopathology; Male; Middle Aged; Multiple Sclerosis - complications; Multiple Sclerosis - physiopathology; outcome assessment; Quality of Life
• ISSN: 0733-2467; 1520-6777
• DOI: 10.1002/nau.22670

Aims Lower urinary tract symptoms are commonly experienced among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), however, their impact on health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) has not been well characterized. Herein the incremental impact of lower urinary tract symptoms on HRQOL among patients with MS has been evaluated. Methods A cross‐sectional online survey was administered to US residents with a self‐reported MS diagnosis. Data pertaining to demographics, disease history, urinary symptoms, and HRQOL, including the Short Form 36, version 2 (SF‐36v2), were collected. Patients were stratified into four urinary symptom groups: no/minimal urinary symptoms, urinary urgency (UU), urinary urgency incontinence (UUI), and other lower urinary tract symptoms. Multiple linear regression models evaluated the impact of these symptoms. Results Out of the 1,052 respondents, mean age was 47.8 ± 10.6 years; mean time since MS diagnosis was 8.5 ± 7.8 years. UUI and UU subgroups showed the greatest adjusted HRQOL decrement compared with the no/minimal urinary symptoms group, scoring 2.8 (SE ± 0.7, UUI) and 3.5 (SE ± 0.8, UU) points lower on SF‐36v2 Physical Component Summary, respectively, and 3.7 (SE ± 1.0, UUI) and 5.0 (SE ± 1.2, UU) points lower on SF‐36v2 Mental Component Summary (P