title: Psychosocial comorbidities and obesity are associated with lower urinary tract symptoms in children with voiding dysfunction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is emerging awareness of comorbid psychosocial characteristics in children with lower urinary tract dysfunction. To explore the prevalence of these comorbidities and their relationship to lower urinary tract symptoms, we examined the psychosocial comorbidities and body mass index of children with lower urinary tract dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively collected data on all new patients 6 to 17 years old with nonneurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction who presented to a single nurse practitioner in 2011. Parents completed a 21-question lower urinary tract symptom score based on a validated questionnaire and a psychosocial questionnaire that screened for stressful life events and psychological diagnoses. We examined the correlation of body mass index percentile and psychosocial comorbidities with lower urinary tract symptom score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 358 patients 28.5% were obese, 31.8% had a recent life stressor and 22.9% had a comorbid psychiatric disorder. Younger age correlated with a higher lower urinary tract symptom score (r = -0.34, p <0.0001). Children with a recent life stressor (p = 0.049), psychiatric disorder (p = 0.0026) or the 2 comorbidities (p = 0.039) had a significantly higher lower urinary tract symptom score than children without comorbidities. Underweight and obese children had a significantly higher lower urinary tract symptom score than healthy weight and overweight children (p = 0.009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Almost a third of the patients in our study were obese. More than 40% of the children had a psychiatric disorder and/or recent life stressor. Younger age, an underweight or obese body mass index and a recent stressful life event or psychiatric disorder correlated with a higher lower urinary tract symptom score. This study supports previous recommendations to screen for psychosocial comorbidities and obesity during the evaluation of pediatric lower urinary tract dysfunction.
authors: Division of Urologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, St. Louis Children's Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors: Janine L
authors: JL
authors: Oliver
authors: Mary J
authors: MJ
authors: Campigotto
authors: Douglas E
authors: DE
authors: Coplen
authors: Erica J
authors: EJ
authors: Traxel
authors: Paul F
authors: PF
authors: Austin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008923:Missouri / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: ADHD; BMI; LUT; LUT symptom score; LUTSS; UTI; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; body mass index; lower urinary tract; psychological; psychosocial deprivation; stress; urinary tract; urinary tract infection; urination disorders