Correlates of Self-Reported Nocturia Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Background. Nocturia is a common and bothersome problem with multifactorial etiology. This study examines clinical factors that are associated with nocturia among community-dwelling older adults. Methods. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among a convenience sample of community-dwelling older adults. Nocturia was defined as waking up to urinate two or more times per night for 3 or more days per week. Associations between nocturia status and sleep disturbance, daytime sleepiness, disease burden, and history of falls were determined. Results. Questionnaires were mailed out to 433 participants, and returned questionnaires from 247 individuals (58%) individuals were adequate for analysis. There were 144 women (57%) and 103 men (42%), with mean +/- standard deviation age of 75.1 +/- 6.9 and 76.6 +/- 5.6 years for women and men, respectively. A total of 137 participants (55%) endorsed nocturia, and 57 participants (23%) endorsed nocturia and difficulty going back to sleep. Participants who endorsed nocturia and difficulty going back to sleep were more likely to report poor sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, increased disease burden, one or more falls, and symptoms related to primary sleep disorders. Conclusions. The clinical characteristics of study participants with nocturia and difficulty going back to sleep were different from those with nocturia and no difficulty going back to sleep, suggesting that these two conditions may have different etiological factors and clinical consequences. These findings would have important implications in both clinical and research-related activities aimed at the management of nocturia in older adults.