INTRODUCTION: The 6-item Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) was recently validated on 68 women with lower
urinary tract symptoms. The purpose of the present investigation was to use the UDI-6 to determine the types of
lower urinary tract dysfunction across different age groups, as described by women from Qalubia Governorate,
Egypt.
METHODS: The study group was recruited from females attending hospitals for urological consultation between
February and August, 2009. There were 378 participants who were 20-50 years old. They had lower urinary tract
symptoms for 3 months and a negative dipstick test. Each had a medical history, clinical evaluation, urine culture,
and pelvic-abdominal ultrasound. All participants completed the Arabic version of the UDI-6. They were divided
into 3 groups according to age: (1) 20-30 years (n = 144), (2) 31-40 years (n = 94), (3) 41-50 years (n = 140). Results
were compared by age group using t tests; a Bonferroni adjustment was applied and significant differences were
noted at P < .001.
RESULTS: The most common symptoms of lower urinary tract dysfunction were stress urinary incontinence and
lower abdominal or genital pain. Stress urinary incontinence was present in 182 (48.1%) of the 378 patients.
It occurred in 4.8% of patients age 20-30 years, 8.1% of patients age 31-40 years, and 17.2% of patients age
41-50 years. Urge incontinence was present in 84 patients (22.2%). The presence of mild and moderate stress
incontinence and mild urge incontinence increased significantly in patients who were 41-50 years old (all with P
< .001). Micturition difficulty and micturition frequency occurred in < 7% of patients. Lower abdominal or genital
pain was described by 204 patients (53.9%). Micturition difficulty, micturition frequency, and lower abdominal or
genital pain did not have significantly different distributions across age.
CONCLUSION: The most common symptoms of lower urinary tract dysfunction were stress urinary incontinence
and lower abdominal or genital pain. The presence of mild and moderate stress incontinence and mild urge
incontinence increased significantly in patients who were 41-50 years old. These patterns are similar to those
reported by authors from other countries. |
