Posterior Urethral Valves with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: Perspective on Urodynamics

Abstract

Background

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTs) are common in young boys with posterior urethral valves (PUVs). It is crucial to investigate the characteristics of PUV patients with and without LUTs after valve ablation.

Methods

Between January 2017 and December 2019, PUV patients visited Children’s Hospital, Fudan University for following up were enrolled. Medical records and information from the patients’ urodynamic studies (UDS) were reviewed.

Results

A total of 54 enrolled PUV patients were divided into symptomatic PUV group (28 cases) and non-symptomatic PUV group (26 cases) according to daytime incontinence or not, and 21 OAB cases without structural abnormalities were set as UDS control group. The non-symptomatic PUV patients had lager filling volume (135 ± 46% of EBC) than the symptomatic PUV patients and OAB patients (106.1 ± 44.4% of EBC, p = 0.0255 and 88.1 ± 39.6% of EBC, p = 0.0007, respectively). The detrusor pressure at 1/4 and 3/4 of full filling was higher in PUV groups than the control group, but no significant difference was found between the PUV groups. PUV patients with LUTs had a higher rate (19/28, 67.9%) of impaired bladder compliance than non-symptomatic PUV patients (11/26, 42.3%, p = 0.0489). The PUV patients with LUTs had a trend of worse kidney functions in lower GFR, higher serum creatinine and lower estimated GFR.

Conclusion

PUV patients have higher detrusor pressure regardless of the presence or absence of LUT symptoms. Bladder function assessments are needed in boys with PUV, even without incontinence symptoms after valve ablation.

Keywords:

• Bladder function
• child
• lower urinary tract symptoms
• posterior urethral valves
• urodynamic study
• overactive bladder

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).