Questionnaire-based assessment of bladder dysfunction in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men and women with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease (PD) using validated symptom questionnaires.


METHODS
Eighty men and 39 women with mild to moderate PD (Hoehn and Yahr score less than 3) were mailed LUTS questionnaires to complete and return. Men received the American Urological Association Symptom Index and women received the Urogenital Distress Inventory-6. Patients not responding by mail were called and asked to complete the survey over the telephone. Control populations of both symptomatic and asymptomatic men and women (without PD) were identified for comparison.


RESULTS
The overall response rate was 78%. Men with early-stage PD had higher American Urological Association Symptom Index scores than age-matched controls (total score of 12.0 versus 7.7, P <0.05) and scores similar to those reported for men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (12.5). Specific items noted to be higher among the men with PD included questions regarding frequency and urgency. Women with PD had higher scores on the Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 than non-age-matched controls (total score of 4.8 versus 2.1, P <0.05), but lower scores than an age-matched group of neurologically intact women presenting for urologic evaluation of LUTS (6.9, P <0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
On the basis of the responses to the validated symptom indexes, the development of LUTS appears to occur at an earlier stage of PD than was once appreciated. Prompt evaluation and treatment of patients with lower urinary tract complaints in the setting of PD may identify bladder dysfunction at an earlier, more treatable stage.
Department of Urology, University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75235-9110, USA.
G E
GE
Lemack
R B
RB
Dewey
C G
CG
Roehrborn
P E
PE
O'Suilleabhain
P E
PE
Zimmern
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014563:Urodynamics