Lower urinary tract symptoms in older adults undergoing hip arthroplasty: a feasibility study.
OBJECTIVE
We undertook a feasibility study to explore the prevalence of preoperative and postoperative lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in older adults undergoing elective hip arthroplasty and to determine whether a larger prospective study was warranted.


METHODS
Subjects awaiting elective hip arthroplasty were recruited preoperatively from an orthopedic office and preadmission clinic at 1 university-affiliated hospital. LUTS and related quality of life were measured prehospitalization and 6 weeks postoperatively using the American Urological Association Symptom Index and quality-of-life score. Postvoid residual urine and the 24-hour pad test were used to assess bladder emptying and continence status.


RESULTS
Sixteen participants (9 males, 7 females, mean age 74 years) completed the study. Preoperatively, 15 participants reported at least 1 symptom and none had discussed these with a healthcare professional. The most common LUTS were nocturia, frequency, and urgency. Postoperatively, all reported symptoms, with 8 (53%) experiencing increased symptoms with a negative impact on quality of life for 3. Recruitment was a major barrier in conducting the study and would need to be taken into account in further studies of the topic.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite recruitment issues, we suggest larger studies of LUTS in older adults undergoing surgery are warranted to further understand potential problems and risks in transition from hospital to home. Future studies should include identification of potential reasons for increased LUTS, including urinary tract infection.
Hunter
Kathleen F
KF
Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Kathleen.Hunter@ualberta.ca
Moore
Katherine N
KN
Allen
Marion
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015982:Bias; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014563:Urodynamics