Co-Occurrence of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Frailty among Community-Dwelling Older Men.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES
To estimate associations between lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and phenotypic frailty in older men.


DESIGN
Cross-sectional study.


SETTING
Community-dwelling men recruited from 2000 to 2002 from six U.S. academic centers for the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study.


PARTICIPANTS
A total of 5,979 men aged 65 and older.


MEASUREMENTS
The independent variable was LUTS severity (none/mild, moderate, or severe) assessed with the American Urologic Association Symptom Index. Participants were categorized as frail, intermediate stage, or robust using an adapted Cardiovascular Health Study index (components: low lean mass, weakness, exhaustion, slowness, and low physical activity). Associations were estimated with odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from multivariable multinomial logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders of age, other demographics, health-related behaviors, and comorbidities.


RESULTS
The prevalence of frailty was 7%, 11%, and 18% among men with none/mild, moderate, and severe LUTS, respectively. Moderate and severe LUTS, overall and by storage and voiding subscores, were associated with higher odds of both intermediate stage and frailty in all models. After adjustment for confounders, the odds of frailty was 1.41 times higher among men with moderate LUTS (95% CI = 1.14-1.74) and 2.51 times higher among men with severe LUTS (95% CI = 1.76-3.55), compared with none/mild LUTS. Severe LUTS was associated with a greater odds of individual frailty components exhaustion and low physical activity.


CONCLUSION
The prevalence of phenotypic frailty is higher among older community-dwelling men with moderate or severe LUTS compared with those with mild or no LUTS. The positive association between LUTS severity and frailty among older men appears independent of age and known frailty risk factors. Although the temporal direction of this association and the utility of LUTS or frailty interventions in this population remain unclear, the high co-occurrence of these conditions could lead to earlier identification of frailty when clinically appropriate.
['Bauer|Scott R|SR|0000-0003-4908-1924', 'Scherzer|Rebecca|R|', 'Suskind|Anne M|AM|', 'Cawthon|Peggy|P|0000-0003-4938-9478', 'Ensrud|Kristine E|KE|0000-0002-9069-3036', 'Ricke|William A|WA|', 'Covinsky|Kenneth|K|', 'Marshall|Lynn M|LM|', '|||']
D000367:Age Factors D000368:Aged D015897:Comorbidity D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D000073496:Frailty D006801:Humans D057187:Independent Living D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms D008297:Male D015995:Prevalence D012307:Risk Factors D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D014481:United States D014549:Urinary Incontinence
lower urinary tract symptoms frailty geriatric syndrome (1-5 Medical Subject Headings) urinary incontinence