title: Frequency-volume charts: comparison of frequency between elderly and adult patients.
abstract: Urinary frequency is a common complaint in the elderly and can be due to many different causes. To clarify the aetiology of frequency, patient-maintained frequency-volume charts were evaluated as a diagnostic tool. We studied 215 patients who complained of frequency. They were divided into 2 groups based on age: 85 were over 65 years of age (elderly group) and 130 were less than 64 years old (adult group). Compared with the adults, elderly patients had a smaller urinary volume during waking hours and a larger volume during sleeping hours, with more frequent episodes of voiding and a smaller volume voided during the latter period. Analysis of the cause of frequency led to the patients being subdivided into 6 diagnostic categories. Among elderly patients, nocturnal polyuria (37%) and an unstable bladder (34%) were frequent causes. In adult patients an unstable bladder (28%) and polyuria due to excessive fluid intake (23%) were most common. As a result of our findings, 108 patients were advised not to be concerned about their micturition and/or restriction of fluid intake. Seventy-six patients (35%) required anticholinergic medication. Frequency-volume charts, together with a detailed medical history, provide useful information on the diagnosis and treatment of frequency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014554:Urination; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine; D014556:Urine