title: [Voiding disorders in geriatric patients : Correlation with age-related functional impairments].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Voiding disorders are a common problem in elderly people. The highest incidence and prevalence occurs in female patients with a high level of dependency and cognitive impairments.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to define the correlation between the presence of voiding disorders and age-related functional deficits in hospitalized elderly patients within the framework of a comprehensive geriatric assessment. This is of utmost importance for planning adequate further diagnostic and therapeutic measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study involved a retrospective cross-sectional assessment of data from 7487 hospitalized patients (74.1 % females, 25.9 % males, mean age 78.9 ± 7.2 years) evaluated by a multidimensional geriatric assessment. Items tested were symptoms of voiding disorders, activities of daily living, cognitive and emotional status, mobility, handgrip strength, need for walking aids, pain, nutritional status and visual function. Data were evaluated with respect to the prevalence of voiding disorders, patient functional status and to the relationship between these findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among all patients 4494 (60.0 %) presented with voiding disorders. Of these 95.8 % showed additional relevant functional deficits in three or more test items. Voiding disorders were positively correlated to patient age, dependency in activities of daily living and pain scores and were negatively correlated to cognitive and emotional status, mobility, hand grip strength, nutritional status and visual function. The functional deficits were associated with the severity of voiding disorders. Female patients were more often affected by voiding disorders as well as by functional impairments in comparison to male patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that more than half of the elderly hospitalized patients suffered from voiding disorders. The high prevalence and correlation between the presence of voiding disorders and functional deficits indicate the need to clearly define and plan diagnostic and therapeutic measures (e. g. bladder diaries and bladder retraining) for these patients, taking the individual functional status into consideration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In older patients with voiding disorders, high levels of functional impairment should be considered before planning diagnostic and therapeutic measures in order to ensure the quality of implementation.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Innere Medizin und Akutgeriatrie, Landeskrankenhaus Hochzirl-Natters, 6170, Zirl, Österreich. helena.talasz@tirol-kliniken.at.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Talasz
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik 2, Schwerpunkt Geriatrie, Klinikum Nürnberg Nord, Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität Nürnberg, 90419, Nürnberg, Deutschland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gosch
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Neurologische Akutnachbehandlung, Landeskrankenhaus Hochzirl-Natters, 6170, Zirl, Österreich.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kofler
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Innere Medizin und Akutgeriatrie, Landeskrankenhaus Hochzirl-Natters, 6170, Zirl, Österreich.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lechleitner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014039:Toilet Training; D014546:Urinary Catheterization; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Activities of daily living; Bladder diaries; Bladder retraining; Geriatric Assessment; Limitations in diagnostics and therapy