Prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms and level of quality of life in men and women with chronic pelvic pain

Abstract

Objectives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms and quality of life in patients with chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). Materials and methods. The McGill Pain Questionnaire, Dutch Leiden/Leuven Version (MPQ-DLV), Pain Disability Index (PDI), National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI), Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI) and Pelvic Pain and Urinary/Frequency Symptom Scale (PUF) were used, based on their specific properties, to assess the symptoms and impact on the quality of life. Total scores and domains were compared for gender. Results. The studied group (N = 35; 18 male, 17 female) showed a good distribution in gender for age [Mann–Whitney U test (MW-U) p = 0.4] and body mass index (MW-U p = 0.2). The MPQ-DLV showed significantly higher scores for pain in women for Pain Rating Index – Affective (MW-U p = 0.030) and Total (MW-U p = 0.031), and Visual Analogue Scale for Pain – Most (MW-U p = 0.005). Women were less sexually active (PUF-SA) (chi-squared test p = 0.021) and had a significantly higher disability (PDI-T) (MW-U p = 0.005) and MPQ – Quality of Life (MW-U p = 0.003). The urinary symptoms showed similar results for gender (chi-squared test p > 0.05). Conclusions. A wide variety of symptoms and a negative impact on quality of life were shown. No differences in lower urinary tract symptoms were found between genders. Women were less sexually active than men. Chronic pelvic pain had a significantly higher negative impact on the level of quality of life in women than in men.

Keywords:

• Bladder pain syndrome
• chronic pain
• chronic pelvic pain syndrome
• IC/BPS
• interstitial cystitis
• lower urinary tract symptoms
• prostatitis
• quality of life

Acknowledgements

The authors want to thank the whole team of the Pelvic Clinic of the University Hospital Antwerp. The authors would also like to thank Dr K. Wouters, PhD Bio Stats.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.