Prevalence and impact of nocturia in a urogynecologic population

To determine the prevalence of nocturia and associated bother among patients presenting to a tertiary urogynecology clinic and to describe patient characteristics related to nocturic frequency and associated bother. Chart review of sequential new patients presenting to our clinic between June 2004 and May 2005. We recorded patients’ response to a question about their frequency of nocturia, the level of associated bother, demographic data, history of chronic medical illness and clinical urogynecologic diagnosis. Seven hundred sixty patients were of mean age 56 (19–95) years. Eighty-seven percent of patients voided at least once nightly, and 60% usually voided at least twice nightly. Forty one percent of patients reported bother ≥5/10 from nocturia. High bother rating was associated with increasing number of nocturic episodes (p < 0.0005) and mixed incontinence (p = 0.012). Nocturia is common and bothersome to women presenting for urogynecologic care. Concomitant mixed incontinence significantly increases bother arising from nocturia.