Lower urinary tract symptoms and their impact on quality of life after successful renal transplantation.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and their impact on quality of life (QOL) in patients having undergone renal transplantation (RTX).

METHODS

Forty-three patients (25 males and 18 females; age 20-68 years) undergoing RTX at Hokkaido University Hospital were included in this study. Median follow-up after RTX was 41 months (range 6-184). Pre-transplant dialysis had been carried out in 38 patients (median: 4.3 years, range: 1 month-31 years). All patients were assessed by uroflowmetry (UFM), postvoid residual urine volume (PVR), 24 h bladder diary, and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). QOL score and King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) were used for the assessment of LUTS-related QOL.

RESULTS

Mean fluid intake volume and urine output volume for 24 h were 2136 mL (1150-3430 mL) and 2446 mL (1336-4733 mL), respectively. Voiding dysfunction assessed by UFM and PVR was observed in 12 patients (28%) showing higher IPSS. QOL score and overall QOL in KHQ were not different between patients with and without voiding dysfunction. Although 19 (49%) had polyuria, 20 (51%) had nocturnal polyuria, which affected nocturia in IPSS as well as sleep/energy disturbances in KHQ compared with patients without nocturnal polyuria.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients having RTX frequently present voiding dysfunction and nocturia basically caused by nocturnal polyuria. We should focus on LUTS in these patients to provide an appropriate management.