Bladder symptoms among polio survivors.

OBJECTIVE To describe bladder symptoms among polio survivors and the inconvenience they cause. DESIGN A survey using the validated Danish Prostatic Symptom Score questionnaire concerning bladder symptoms. SUBJECTS A random age- and gender-stratified sample of polio survivors drawn from members of the Danish Society of Polio and Accident Victims. METHODS Eligible subjects were sent the questionnaire by post. RESULTS Of 453 eligible subjects 272 responded. Within 2 weeks 87.5% of respondents had experienced at least one bladder symptom, and 76.5% reported that they had been bothered by a bladder symptom. Out of the 12 symptoms in the questionnaire we found a significant gender difference, with straining and weak stream reported more often among men, and urge incontinence reported more often among women. Incontinence occurred significantly more often among women (73.3%) than among men (40.9%). Compared with a similar study of the background population, bladder symptoms overall occurred approximately twice as often among polio survivors. CONCLUSION The majority of polio survivors experience bladder symptoms, prevalences being approximately twice as high as in the background population. Furthermore, polio survivors to a much larger extent find their bladder symptoms bothersome. A successful rehabilitation programme should therefore also focus on these symptoms.