title: Risk of hospitalization for acute cardiovascular events among subjects with lower urinary tract symptoms: a nationwide population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) have been reported to be associated with metabolic syndrome and may predispose subjects to cardiovascular disease. The magnitude of the impact on the medical care remains to be elucidated. Based on a population-based claims dataset in Taiwan, we explored the association between LUTS and the risk of subsequent hospitalization for acute cardiovascular events.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among a representative sample of one million subjects from nationwide health insurance enrollees, subjects with codes of LUTS in service claims and without previous cardiovascular diseases including stroke were compared with age- and sex-matched non-LUTS subjects in subsequent hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome or stroke from the recruited date (between 2001-2004) to 2009. The risk of outcomes was assessed with Kaplan-Meier curves and the impact of LUTS was estimated with Poison regression analysis and Cox proportional hazards models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 4,553 LUTS subjects and 22,765 matched non-LUTS subjects, with a mean age of 47 years and 43% of men. Hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia were more prevalent in the LUTS group. The incidence rate of the composite endpoint was significantly higher in the LUTS group than in the non-LUTS group (5.4/1000 vs. 4.0/1000 person-years). The difference mainly derived from stroke rather than acute coronary syndrome. After adjusting for age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia in multivariable analysis, LUTS remained a significant predictor (hazard ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence incidence, 1.06-1.50).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subjects free of cardiovascular disease and presenting with LUTS are at risk of subsequent hospitalization for acute cardiovascular events, mainly stroke. The information might prompt practitioners encountering such patients to undergo appropriate diagnostic and preventive measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Huey-Juan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shih-Feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Chun-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ming-Ping
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology