Nocturia in Spanish patients with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH)

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of nocturia and its impact on quality of life (QoL) in Spanish patients with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a Spanish, multicentre, cross-sectional study. Outpatients aged 60 years and over with LUTS/BPH, a prostate size > or = 25 g, untreated for LUTS/BPH and responding to the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) were included. Nocturia was defined as > or = 2 nocturnal voids/night. The Spanish version of the Nocturia-specific Quality of Life (N-QoL) questionnaire assessed the impact of nocturia on QoL, with a low score indicating a poor QoL due to nocturia. RESULTS: A total of 502 patients were included; mean age 68.1 +/- 5.7 years, mean I-PSS 14.9 +/- 7.1, mean prostate size 50.9 +/- 20 g. The overall prevalence of nocturia was 83.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 79.8-86.4). Patients with nocturia had a lower score on the overall N-QoL questionnaire and the sleep/energy and bother/concern domains than those without nocturia (p < 0.001); 42.9% of patients with nocturia stated that they had a good-very good QoL compared to 90.6% in those without nocturia (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study shows a high prevalence of nocturia in Spanish LUTS/BPH patients. Nocturia negatively impacts on the QoL of LUTS/BPH patients, which is reflected in worse sleep, reduced energy levels and increased bother and concern. Therefore adequate treatment of this symptom is necessary.