Purpose: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a multi-organ viral infection with many manifestations. However, its impact on the genitourinary system is nowadays under investigation. This study aimed to evaluate the consequences on bladder function in patients suffering from post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS) transferred to inpatient rehabilitation for long-term care after initial treatment for COVID-19 pathophysiology.
Materials and methods: All the patients were initially asked the question (after having recovered from the acute stage of COVID-19 disease): "Have you noticed a sudden, uncontrolled need to urinate and sometimes a urine leakage accompanying the voiding desire?" Sixty-six out of 147 patients responded positively to this question and were assessed with the AUA Urology Care Foundation Overactive Bladder Assessment Tool (AUA-OAB-tool). All included men were evaluated with the IPSS score.
Results: The median age of patients was 59.5 (range 44-72). We identified 44 patients with newly diagnosed OAB (Group A; post-COVID assessment) and 22 with worsening OAB symptoms (Group B). The mean symptom score ± standard deviation in Group A patients was 18.25 ± 2.11 (using the above AUA OAB tool). In the patients of Group B, there was an increase in the above score from 10.43 ± 1.52 (pre-COVID condition) to 17.87 ± 1.89 (post-COVID assessment). In patients of Group A, the total quality of life (QOL) score was 17.74 ± 2.34. Patients in Group B presented an escalation in total QOL score from 9.04 ± 1.41 (pre-COVID) to 18.84 ± 1.96 (post-COVID condition). There was no statistically significant difference in symptoms and QOL scores between men and women in groups A and B. There were 11 men in Group A and 5 in Group B with an IPSS score >20.
Conclusion: OAB symptoms may be essential to PACS syndrome and influence quality of life, delaying full recovery.
Keywords: AUA-OAB tool; nocturia; overactive bladder; post-acute COVID-19; quality of life.
© 2022 Zachariou et al.