Lower urinary tract symptoms of neurological origin in urological practice.

Purpose: The present study aimed to reveal the neurological origin of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in routine urological examination.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 70 cases to identify cases in which the neurologist and/or urologist suspected the relation between neurological diseases and LUTS. The compromised neurological areas were categorized into brain and spinal cord based on the appearance time of LUTS and presence/absence of disease specificity. We classified the lesion site based on the imaging result and the neurologic finding. We compared LUTS appearance time: from LUTS appearance till the first visit to urologist (first visit urologist) and from the aforementioned visit till the neurological diagnosis confirmation (neurological diagnosis). Finally, we conducted a detailed investigation of the surgical cases, as well as those with urodynamic studies (UDS) performed prior to the neurological examination.

Results: The neurological diseases involved 31 cases (44 %) of multiple system atrophy, 11 (16 %) of multiple sclerosis, and 4 (6 %) of Parkinson's disease. Associated symptoms comprised gait disturbance (38) and lower limb dysesthesia (20), while no associated symptoms were observed in 13 (19 %). Both the periods proved significantly shorter for spinal cord disease. Urological surgeries were performed in 10 cases (14 %). UDS findings revealed 10 cases of decrease in bladder compliance, and 15 of detrusor underactivity; no normal cases were observed.

Conclusions: Consideration of detailed medical history, enforcement of UDS, and closer cooperation between urologists and neurologists are required to ascertain early and correct diagnosis, and to avoid unnecessary surgery.