Is there seasonal variation in symptom severity,uroflowmetry and frequency–volume chart parameters in men with lower urinary tract symptoms?

Abstract

Purpose

There is a widely held perception that lower urinary tract symptoms may be exacerbated by cold weather. In this study, we examine the effect of seasonal variation in ambient temperatures on frequency–volume chart derivatives, symptom severity scores and uroflowmetry parameters in men with lower urinary tract symptom.

Methods

Between January 2000 and April 2004, men presenting with lower urinary tract symptom were prospectively recruited and assessed in Edinburgh, UK (55°52′N) with maritime temperate climates (Köppen classification Cfb). Local monthly temperatures were extracted from national meteorological records. Patients completed the International Prostate Symptom Score and 3-day frequency volume chart before undergoing free uroflowmetry with post-micturition volume measurement. Exclusion criteria were previous bladder outflow surgery and anti-cholinergic medication.

Results

Data on 296 patients were suitable for analysis. Mean age was 62.3 years (range, 26–90). Over the period of study, the coldest month was January (mean = 4.7℃) and the warmest month was August (mean = 15.8℃). There was no significant variation in either International Prostate Symptom Score symptom scores by season (p > 0.05) or any frequency–volume chart parameters, with the exception on an increase in median actual nightly voids over the summer months (p = 0.021). There was no significant correlation between maximal flow rate and post-micturition residual volumes and mean monthly temperatures (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Seasonal variation in nocturia, but not other frequency–volume parameters, symptom severity or uroflowmetry parameters, is significant in men with lower urinary tract symptom. Future work should consider the impact of seasonal variation in lower urinary tract symptoms in both sexes across a wider range of climates.

Keywords

Seasonal variation temperature variation lower urinary tract symptoms frequency volume charts IPSS uroflowmetry

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Kohn

Flatau

. Points: why does cold weather cause frequency. Br Med J 1980; 281: 875–876.

Knight

Horvath

. Urinary responses to cold temperature during water immersion. J Appl Physiol 2005; 99: 515–521.

Geirsson

Lindstrom

Fall

. The bladder cooling reflex and the use of cooling as stimulus to the lower urinary tract. J Urol 1999; 162: 1890–1896.

Tsukimi

Mizuyachi

Yamasaki

. Cold response of the bladder in guinea pig: involvement of transient receptor potential channel, TPRM8. Urology 2005; 65: 406–410.

van Kerrebroeck

Abrams

Chaikin

. The standardisation of terminology in nocturia: report from the Standardisation Sub-committee of the International Continence Society. Neurourol Urodyn 2002; 21: 179–183.

Weiss

Blaivas

. Nocturnal polyuria versus overactive bladder in nocturia. Urology 2002; 60(5 Suppl 1): 28–32.

SchÌfer

Abrams

Liao

. Good urodynamic practices: urofowmetry, filling cystometry, and pressure-flow studies. Neurourol Urodyn 2002; 21: 261–274.

Yoshimura

Kamoto

Tsukamoto

. Seasonal alterations in nocturia and other storage symptoms in three Japanese communities. Urology 2007; 69: 864–870.

Watanabe

Maruyama

. Seasonal changes in symptom score and uroflowmetry in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms. Scand J Urol Nephrol 2007; 41: 521–526.

10.

Koyama

Homma

Kawabe

. Seasonal differences in patterns of improvement in urinary symptoms for Japanese OAB patients treated with oxybutynin. Neurourol Urodyn 2006; 25: 612–613.