Impact of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms on Health-related Quality of Life in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Purpose:This study was to investigate the level of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus  and to identify the impact of LUTS on HRQOL.

Methods:A university hospital diabetes clinic-based cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2010 to April 2012. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited from a diabetes clinic in a university hospital. Data analysis was based on 208 respondents. A structured questionnaire was used to guide interviews; the collected data included demographic characteristics, body mass index, adherence to regular exercise, depression using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), duration of diabetes mellitus, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) from the clinical data, LUTS (measured via the International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS]), and HRQOL as assessed by use of the EQ-5D Index. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to test predictors of HRQOL.

Results: Of all patients with T2DM, mean IPSS of LUTS was 9.04 ± 6.87. Concerning the reported severity of LUTS, 52.2% of the subjects were in the moderate and severe group. In each symptom score of LUTS (range 0-5), nocturia was the highest 2.05, weak stream 1.55, and frequency 1.38. HRQOL was significantly predicted by LUTS, duration of diabetes mellitus, adherence to regular exercise and 42% of the variance in HRQOL was explained.

Conclusions:LUTS and duration of diabetes mellitus were the principal predictors of HRQOL in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Keywords: Lower urinary tract symptoms; Depression; Health-related quality of life; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Duration of disease