title: Prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms in middle-aged and elderly Japanese.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in Japanese people, and the relationships to aging and sex, we carried out the present population-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study included 1198 men aged 60.7 ± 12.5 years and 1218 women aged 60.8 ± 12.7 years who participated in a study of aging carried out at the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology between 2006 and 2008, using linguistically validated versions of the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short-form (ICIQ-SF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of I-PSS ≥ 8 was 25.2% in men and 11.8% in women, that of two or more a week urinary incontinence was 3.3% and 6.6%, respectively, and that of I-PSS ≥ 8 and/or two or more a week urinary incontinence was 25.8% and 16.0%, respectively. The prevalence of the seven symptoms in I-PSS increased with aging. Just 9.1% of men and 4.6% of women who reported LUTS were medicated for LUTS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that the severity of LUTS in Japan was related to aging. The prevalence of LUTS with I-PSS ≥ 8 in Japan is similar to that in other countries.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Department of Surgery and Intensive Care, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Osuga
authors.forename: Kikuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: Fujiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimokata
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: epidemiological survey; lower urinary tract symptoms; prevalence; urinary incontinence