title: Terminology, epidemiology, etiology, and pathophysiology of nocturia.
abstract: Nocturia, awaking from sleep to void, has a negative impact on health and well-being. Nocturia affects men and women and is more prevalent among the elderly. More than two nocturnal voids is considered to be a clinically meaningful threshold associated with significant negative outcomes for health and well-being, and the timing of awakening has a significant bearing on the negative consequences of nocturia. Several serious underlying pathophysiologic conditions may be associated with nocturia. A thorough history and assessment of number and times of voids, void volume, and fluid intake is essential for determining the etiology of a patient's nocturia. With data obtained from the frequency-volume chart (FVC), which is used to collect quantitative voiding data, a patient's nocturia may be classified as global polyuria, nocturnal polyuria, reduced bladder capacity, or a combination of these categories. Global polyuria is defined as 24-hr urinary output that exceeds 40 ml/kg body weight and results in increased 24-hr urinary frequency. Nocturnal polyuria is defined as more than 20% of daily urine output at night in young patients and more than 33% in elderly patients. Reduced bladder capacity may be a result of idiopathic or neurogenic detrusor overactivity, bladder outlet obstruction, or reduced nocturnal bladder capacity. The pathophysiology underlying the findings of the FVC falls into five main categories: global polyuria, nocturnal polyuria, reduced bladder capacity, sleep disorders, and circadian clock disorders. This review discusses the epidemiology, etiology, and pathophysiology of nocturia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Kerrebroeck
authors.forename: Karl-Erik
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Andersson
mesh_terms: D021081:Chronobiology Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D053158:Nocturia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: epidemiology; etiology; nocturia; pathophysiology