Incidence and remission rates of lower urinary tract symptoms at one year in women aged 40-60: longitudinal study

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence and rates of remission of lower urinary tract symptoms at one year in women aged 40-60, and to assess factors associated with remission. DESIGN: Ongoing longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: One rural and one urban county in Denmark. PARTICIPANTS: 4000 women recruited on a random basis, 2860 of whom were followed up at one year. MEASUREMENTS: Incidence and rates of remission of lower urinary tract symptoms. RESULTS: Prevalence, incidence, and rates of remission of lower urinary tract symptoms in 2284 women were respectively 28.5% (95% confidence interval 26.7% to 30.4%), 10.0% (8.5% to 11.4%), and 27.8% (25.6% to 30.0%). Overall, symptoms were not significantly associated with events performed or initiated in the study period: medical consultation (1.6, 0.8 to 2.8), pelvic floor physiotherapy (0.9, 0.5 to 1.8), treatment with antibiotics on suspicion of a lower urinary tract infection (1.3, 0.8 to 2.2), or other treatment (1.7, 0.7 to 4.1). Many of the individual symptoms were, however, associated with seeking professional help. CONCLUSIONS: Lower urinary tract symptoms constitute dynamic conditions, with women experiencing more or fewer symptoms, and eventually a cessation of symptoms. The distinction between permanent and fluctuating cases may have important clinical and scientific implications.