Longitudinal Evaluation of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms up to Six Months after COVID-19 Infection in a Jordanian Cohort.

BACKGROUND

Aortic Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) refer to a range of urinary symptoms affecting both men and women. These symptoms include increased frequency of urination, urgency, weak urine flow, incomplete emptying of the bladder, and nocturia.

OBJECTIVE

LUTS encompass various urinary issues, with emerging evidence suggesting a potential connection to COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and long-term effects of COVID-19 on LUTS and IPSS across different infection severities.

METHODS

The prospective observational study enrolled 85 COVID-19 patients. IPSS was used to assess LUTS before, during, and 3 and 6 months after infection. Data collection included demographics and clinical characteristics, with follow-up assessments of all participants, highlighting significant differences between severity groups through statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The highest IPSS values occurred during the acute phase of infection in all groups. Patients with severe or critical COVID-19 exhibited the highest IPSS, while asymptomatic or mild cases had the lowest scores. IPSS scores showed a significant association across all phases in patients with a history of urological disorders compared to those without. Age was positively correlated with IPSS before and during infection. Long-term bladder dysfunction associated with COVID-19 may cause persistent LUTS in patients with mild cases.

CONCLUSION

A significant association exists between COVID-19 and LUTS, indicating that LUTS should be considered in COVID-19 cases. Monitoring LUTS is recommended throughout COVID-19 and during recovery. However, pre-infection LUTS were assessed retrospectively through recall of IPSS scores, which may be subject to recall bias and could affect the accuracy of pre- and post-infection comparisons. This study is among the first to provide a 6-month longitudinal follow-up with predictors such as age and urological history. Limitations include the lack of control for confounding factors and potential recall bias, though the within-subject repeated design enhances the strength of the results.