New research on why we have UTIs
Find a Conversation
| Wed, 05-21-2008 - 11:32am |
I'm posting this on both the UTI and this board. Hope you find this information interesting.
Risk Factors For Urinary Problems Uncovered
Obesity and unhealthy lifestyles are linked to urinary problems, new research suggests. 
People who have diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease are also at greater risk of a range of urinary problems, say the researchers led by Dr Raymond Rosen of the New England Research Institutes in Massachusetts, USA.
They carried out two separate studies, on men and women. The first took data from 3,205 women aged 30-79 years. In medical interviews, three-quarters of the women reported at least one urological symptom, such as urinary frequency, urinary incontinence, or nocturia (needing to urinate during the night).
In the group of women with the most severe symptoms, "body size and waist circumference were markedly higher", write the team in the UK-based urology journal BJU International. Women who had hysterectomies or other gynaecological surgery also faced a higher risk.
These findings will aid research on the causes of symptoms in women, the experts conclude.
Their study of men was based on 2,301 males aged 30-79 years. Seven in ten reported at least one urinary tract symptom. Those with the most severe symptoms tended to be older, experience more than one symptom, and were significantly more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, kidney and bladder infections.
"Men with increased waist circumference and more sedentary lifestyles were over-represented in the more symptomatic clusters," the researchers report. They add that risk is also higher among men who have undergone prostate or bladder surgery.
The findings of this study are also published in BJU International. Dr Rosen commented: "These results will hopefully aid our understanding of why urological problems occur and how we can manage these conditions more effectively."
Hall, S. A. et a. Do urological symptoms cluster among women? Results from the Boston Area Community Health Survey. BJU International, Vol. 101, May 2008, pp. 1257-66.
Cinar, A. et al. Cluster analysis and lower urinary tract symptoms in men: findings from the Boston Area Community Health Survey. BJU International, Vol. 101, May 2008, pp. 1247-56.
Date: May 19th 2008


