The Relationship between Chronic Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Psychological Disorders in Women Referring to Baqyiatallah Hospital Clinic in Tehran City

Introduction: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) refer to a group of medical symptoms with the prevalence of 62.5% in men and 66.6% in women. LUTS (Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms) was associated with increased risk of having clinically relevant depressive symptoms or depression and vice versa. We assumed that patients with chronic lower urinary tract symptoms who referred to urology clinic and have negative urologic evaluations, may suffer from psychological symptoms such as anxiety, depression or obsession.

Methods and Materials: This was a cross-sectional, single group survey of women living in Tehran province. Patients who were suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms for over than 6 months, were included in the study. We evaluate the presence of LUTS by asking the patients about their problems of urinary tract in two major categories: Filling or irritative symptoms - e.g. frequency, urgency, dysuria, nocturia, stress incontinence, urge incontinence. Chi square and independent T tests were used to evaluate the correlation between study variables. All statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 16.

Results: There was a positive correlation between irritative symptoms and depression symptoms (p‹0.001) and a negative correlation between obstructive symptoms and depression (p‹0.001). There was no association between LUTS and symptoms of OCD (Obsessive- Compulsive disorder). The mean age of participants with positive BDI (Beck depression inventory) was higher than those with negative BDI. (p= 0.007).

Discussion: The results of this study emphasized the important association of LUTS and depression. In conclusion, depressive disorder can increase the risk of developing LUTS or accelerate this process. So when a patient with either urinary or depression symptoms referred to a psychiatry center, he should be screened for the other disease. This requires an adequate interaction between urology and psychiatry departments to achieve.