Impact of nocturia on symptom-specific quality of life among community-dwelling adults aged 40 years and older

Abstract Objectives To evaluate factors predicting the effect of nocturia in a community-based cohort of adults using a nocturia-specific quality-of-life (N-QOL) questionnaire. Methods From October 2004 to February 2005, adults aged 40 years old or older living in Matsu, Taiwan and reporting nocturia of one episode or more per night were interviewed with a 12-item N-QOL questionnaire consisting of Sleep/Energy and Bother/Concern subscales. Univariate analyses were used to analyze the effects of demographic characteristics, frequency and duration of nocturia, and sleeping characteristics on the N-QOL score. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify factors predicting the N-QOL score. Results A total of 663 adults completed this study (mean age 59.4 years). The average N-QOL scores (a lower score indicates worse QOL) were 91.4 ± 11.2, 83.7 ± 13.2, 77.6 ± 16.8, and 67.6 ± 21.2 for nocturia episodes of 1, 2, 3, and 4 or more per night, respectively ( P P = 0.003) and Bother/Concern subscale scores (42.0 ± 8.4 versus 44.0 ± 7.4, P P = 0.158) than women. On multiple linear regression analysis, increasing nocturia episodes (regression coefficient −6.2, 95% confidence interval −7.4 to −5.0), male sex (regression coefficient −3.5, 95% confidence interval −5.4 to −1.5), and degree of sleeping disturbance after nocturia (regression coefficient −4.5, 95% confidence interval −5.6 to −3.4) independently predicted a significantly lower N-QOL score. Conclusions The results of our study have confirmed that nocturia has a more significant QOL impact when the patient has two or more episodes per night. Moreover, men experienced a greater impact from nocturia than women, particularly in the Bother/Concern domain.