[Initial assessment criteria for urination problems of the elderly--comparison of criteria for patients/caregivers/nurses, general practitioners, and urologists].

As the population ages rapidly, we need to establish a cost-effective system to assess and treat urination problems of the elderly. Recently, criteria have been developed for urologists to assess benign prostatic hyperplasia using the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS), QoL index, urination function (maximal flow rates and residual urine volume) and prostate volume. It is suggested that patients with moderate to severe urination problems as measured by these criteria need to be treated but those with mild problems have no need for treatment.

[Criteria for general practitioners to assess treatment efficacy for urination problems of the elderly].

Criteria for general practitioners to assess treatment efficacy are needed to efficiently treat urination problems in the elderly. Recently, criteria have been developed for urologists to assess the efficacy of benign prostatic hyperplasia treatment using the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS), QoL index and maximal flow rates. We examined whether these criteria can be applied to the general urination problems of the elderly men and women, with 85 male and 16 female subjects aged 50 and over.

The relationships among filling, voiding subscores from International Prostate Symptom Score and quality of life in Japanese elderly men and women.

Objectives: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are reported to influence the quality of life (QoL) of the elderly. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationships among filling problems, voiding problems and QoL in elderly men and women.

Methods: A total of 450 males and 228 females, aged 50 years or older responded to a questionnaire, which included seven questions from the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) and 16 questions from the King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ).

"Quality of life" assessment of urination in elderly Japanese men and women with some medical problems using International Prostate Symptom Score and King's Health Questionnaire.

Objectives: To investigate the relationships among lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), satisfaction at urination, and quality of life (QoL) in elderly Japanese men and women, who attended physicians for their medical problems.

Methods: A total of 437 Japanese men and 196 women, aged 50 or older, responded to a questionnaire, which included seven questions regarding urination, one question about bothersomeness (QoL index) from the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), two questions about frequency of urinary incontinence and 16 questions from the King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ).

Results: Of 401 patients who completed the IPSS and KHQ questionnaires, 235 (72.