Urological comorbidities in Egyptian rheumatoid arthritis patients: Risk factors and relation to disease activity and functional status

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Among Females with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE

To assess the presence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) female patients with assessment of LUTS and its impact on quality of life (QoL).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective, cross-sectional study of female patients with RA was conducted. Demographics and clinical data, Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms questionnaire (BFLUTS), and the RA Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) were all collected. A correlation has been made between all variables to assess the factors that induce LUTS in RA and the impact on QoL.

RESULTS

Eighty-nine patients were enrolled. About 94.4% of RA patients had at least one symptom of LUTS. Concerning DAS28, 55.1% had moderate disease activity and 16.9% had high disease activity, which was not significantly associated with BFLUTS or QoL. The prevalence of overactive bladder syndrome symptoms (OAB: frequency, urgency, nocturia, and urgency incontinence) were found to be 65.2%, 59.6%, 56.2%, and 30.3%, respectively. Stress incontinence was prevalent in 40.4% of patients. The overall interference with life was evident in 27 (30.3%) patients secondary to LUTS. Body mass index (BMI) was positively and significantly correlated with the presence of storage symptoms (r = 0.306, p = 0.004) and with the total BFLUTS (r = 0.251, p = 0.018). BFLUTS subdomains and total scores were significantly correlated to poor QoL. The correlation of the BFLUTS QoL was found to be r = 0.584, p < 0.001 with storage symptoms, r = 0.399, p < 0.001 with voiding symptoms, and r = 0.757, p < 0.001 with incontinence.

CONCLUSION

LUTS is a prominent and significant disability that directly affects QoL in RA. BMI is an independent factor that is linked to LUTS in RA patients.

Lower urinary tract symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis male patients versus controls

Background. We aimed to evaluate the severity of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA) male patient versus control, then to determine the relation of LUTS with rheumatic diseases (RD) characteristics and with erectile dysfunction (ED).

Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional case control study including 50 men with RA or SpA and 50 healthy controls. LUTS were evaluated by the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). LUTS bother was evaluated by the Quality of life (QoL) score, which ranges from 0 to 6. LUTS bother was considered if QoL score exceeded 2. Moreover, erectile function was assessed by the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF5) (ED if score < 21).

Results. LUTS were significantly more severe in RD patients than controls (p = 0.03). However, there was no difference between the two groups in LUTS bother (QoL) (p = 0.2). Comparing RA and SpA showed no difference as to the severity of LUTS or effect of bother on QoL (p = 0.13, p = 0.5). The prevalence of ED in RD patients was not significantly higher than controls (80% versus 70%; p = 0.2).There were also no differences either between RA and SpA groups (p = 0.74).

The severity of LUTS for patients with RD (RA and SpA) was significantly associated with age (p = 0.001), age at disease onset (p = 0.002) and ED (p = 0.008).

Conclusion. According to our study, men with RD seem to be exposed to more severe LUTS than controls. Also, the severity of LUTS was associated with ED, age of patients and the age of disease onset.