Wake-up call: 4 out of 5 older hospitalised patients have nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms.

OBJECTIVE

Nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms (nLUTS) increase with age, frailty and comorbid systemic illness and affect many older people. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of nLUTS in a hospital aged-care sub-acute environment.

METHODS

Prospective clinical audit based on semi-structured bedside interviews of older adult patients admitted to a tertiary hospital aged rehabilitation ward over a 7-month period.

RESULTS

A total of 147 eligible patients were included in this clinical audit. The prevalence of nLUTS was 80% (76% nocturia; 54% nocturnal urgency; 32% nocturnal enuresis; 51% nocturnal incontinence). The incidence of any nLUTs was 37%. Half the sample reported daytime incontinence, which always co-existed with at least one nLUTS.

CONCLUSION

Nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms are a problem for four out of five older hospitalised patients. This highlights the need to screen for nLUTS early in the hospital admission and for implementation of a multidisciplinary team intervention to decrease morbidity and improve quality of life in this vulnerable population.