Incidence and remission rates of lower urinary tract symptoms at one year in women aged 40-60: longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVES To determine the incidence and rates of remission of lower urinary tract symptoms at one year in women aged 40-60, and to assess factors associated with remission. DESIGN Ongoing longitudinal cohort study. SETTING One rural and one urban county in Denmark. PARTICIPANTS 4000 women recruited on a random basis, 2860 of whom were followed up at one year. MEASUREMENTS Incidence and rates of remission of lower urinary tract symptoms. RESULTS Prevalence, incidence, and rates of remission of lower urinary tract symptoms in 2284 women were respectively 28.5% (95% confidence interval 26.7% to 30.4%), 10.0% (8.5% to 11.4%), and 27.8% (25.6% to 30.0%). Overall, symptoms were not significantly associated with events performed or initiated in the study period: medical consultation (1.6, 0.8 to 2.8), pelvic floor physiotherapy (0.9, 0.5 to 1.8), treatment with antibiotics on suspicion of a lower urinary tract infection (1.3, 0.8 to 2.2), or other treatment (1.7, 0.7 to 4. 1). Many of the individual symptoms were, however, associated with seeking professional help. CONCLUSIONS Lower urinary tract symptoms constitute dynamic conditions, with women experiencing more or fewer symptoms, and eventually a cessation of symptoms. The distinction between permanent and fluctuating cases may have important clinical and scientific implications.