Reassessing Normal Voiding Standards: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on Medical Professionals' Evaluations with Portable Uroflowmetry and IPSS.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional observational study using convenience sampling
PubMed 38792399 · doi:10.3390/jcm13102857
What was done
Cross-sectional study assessing spontaneous voiding parameters among 431 healthcare professionals (76% male, 24% female) attending a medical congress in Istanbul. Participants completed the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and demographic surveys, then used smart uroflow devices (Oruba Oruflow) installed in public restrooms. Analyzed metrics included maximum flow rate (Q max), average flow rate (Q ave), and voided volume (VV), alongside their relationships with age, BMI, sex, and symptom severity across single and repeated voids.
What was found
Specific numerical means, variances, and p-values were not reported in the abstract. Qualitatively, women reported a higher prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and exhibited higher Q max and Q ave compared to men, irrespective of IPSS scores. Voided volume did not differ significantly between sexes, but lower voided volumes correlated with worse LUTS in men. In men, total IPSS inversely associated with flow performance, impacting voiding symptoms more than storage symptoms. Flow rates in men declined with increasing age and symptom severity. Repeated measurements showed notable variability in Q max and VV that was independent of sex, BMI, age, or symptom severity.
Why it matters
Highlights distinct sex-specific baselines for urinary flow metrics and confirms substantial intra-individual variability during natural voiding. These findings suggest single in-clinic uroflowmetry tests may be insufficient and support the role of repeated, portable uroflowmetry measurements.
Limits
The study relied on an opportunistic convenience sample of conference attendees in public restrooms rather than a representative patient or general population. Fluid intake, diurnal timing, and underlying medical comorbidities were not standardized or measured. The abstract omits all numerical values, effect sizes, and confidence intervals.
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