title: Impact of Living at the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition Base on Urinary Status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Urinary disorders are generally well understood, but there are few reports on the urinary status of people living in unusual climates such as the polar regions. We studied the impact of living conditions on the urinary status of members of the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study enrolled 12 consenting members of the wintering party stationed at the Syowa Station in Antarctica between November 2012 and March 2014. The subjects completed questionnaires (the International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS], Overactive Bladder Syndrome Score [OABSS] and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]) and kept daily voiding dairies for 3 days consecutively every 2 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with baseline values, the mean scores on all the questionnaires decreased during the stay in Antarctica, from 3.42 to 2.31 for the IPSS, 1.25 to 0.986 for the OABSS, and 4.58 to 3.78 on the PSQI. A significant difference was noted in the scores of seven subjects with a 3 point or more decrease in IPSS score and five members with a decrease less than 3 points (-2.22 vs 0.448, P = 0.0416).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first survey of the urinary status of people living in a polar environment. The findings obtained by questionnaires and voiding dairies indicated that urination and sleep status did not worsen during the stay in Antarctica.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hitachi General Hospital, Ibaraki, Japan.|Department of Urology, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hitachi General Hospital, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Shizuoka General Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tokatsu Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Giichiro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.affiliation: The 54th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuhisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.affiliation: The 54th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ooe
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hitachi General Hospital, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D005101:Expeditions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012890:Sleep; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014554:Urination; D014556:Urine
keywords: Antarctica; nocturia; sleep; urination; voiding diary