Nocturia Quality-of-Life questionnaire is a useful tool to predict nocturia and a risk of falling in Japanese outpatients: a cross-sectional survey.

Objectives: To evaluate the Japanese version of the Nocturia Quality-of-Life questionnaire for prediction of night-time voiding and risk of falling.

Methods: A survey was carried out from October 2008 to June 2009 in outpatients at 15 general hospitals and 80 general clinics in Tochigi, Japan, using the Nocturia Quality-of-Life questionnaire, overactive bladder symptom score and self-administered questionnaires on night-time symptoms (awakening, number of voids, incontinence and falling).

Results: The survey was completed by 2494 participants (1154 men, 1208 women; mean age 63.2 ± 15.1 years). Overactive bladder was diagnosed in 625 participants (25.1%) according to the Japanese overactive bladder guideline using overactive bladder symptom score. Awakening during sleep was reported by 80.1% of the participants, and 70.4% awakened to go to the toilet. The mean Nocturia Quality-of-Life score was 86.8 ± 16.9. The Nocturia Quality-of-Life score was lower in patients with overactive bladder, benign prostatic hyperplasia, diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. The Nocturia Quality-of-Life score was significantly decreased in patients with night-time symptoms (P < 0.001). Nocturia Quality-of-Life scores and those for subdomains were correlated with overactive bladder symptom score. Nocturia Quality-of-Life ≤90 had 63.1% sensitivity and 78.6% specificity in indicating night-time voiding more than twice, and Nocturia Quality-of-Life questionnaire ≤80 had 70.2% sensitivity and 79.5% specificity in indicating the probability of falling at least once. Logistic analysis showed that 10-year increase in age and overactive bladder in all participants were significant risk factors for Nocturia Quality-of-Life ≤90.

Conclusions: The Nocturia Quality-of-Life questionnaire represents a useful tool to predict nocturia and risk of falling in Japanese patients.