title: Psychological aspects of lower urinary tract infections in women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether women with the urethral syndrome can be distinguished from those with urinary tract infection by case notes, clinical symptoms, or psychiatric state.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal survey of consecutive women presenting with dysuria and frequency.
  
  
  METHODS
  General practice and community.
  
  
  METHODS
  58 patients with the urethral syndrome and 44 patients with a urinary tract infection, mean age 39.9 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Results of analysis of serial midstream urine specimens, patients' self rated physical symptoms and responses to 60 item general health questionnaire at presentation and after resolution of symptoms, and results of psychiatric assessment with the clinical psychiatric interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  4 of 42 patients with a urinary tract infection had recently changed sexual partner compared with none of 58 with the urethral syndrome. Dysuria and nocturia were more common in patients with urinary tract infections than those with the urethral syndrome (mean (SD) score for dysuria 5.37 (2.39) v 4.57 (2.13), p less than 0.05; nocturia in 39/44 (88%) patients v 40/58 (69%), chi 2 = 5.5, p less than 0.02). Both groups showed transient high levels of distress which resolved with the physical symptoms, but no psychiatric difference distinguished them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The urethral syndrome is not associated with increased psychiatric morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Napsbury Hospital, Hertfordshire.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sumners
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kelsey
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chait
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013577:Syndrome; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*