The psychological effects of treatments for lower urinary tract symptoms

OBJECTIVE: To assess and evaluate the level of depression, anxiety and psychiatric status in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) before and after treatment by surgery or drugs.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 123 patients (mean age 64.6 years, SD 7. 95) with LUTS who were treated medically (with alpha-blockers, i.e. terazosin, prazosin, doxazosin and alfuzosin), and 52 patients (mean age 69.6 years, SD 7.94) with LUTS and confirmed to have benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Both groups were assessed at baseline and 3 months after treatment using standardized questionnaires (the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the General Health Questionnaire-12).

RESULTS: Patients before TURP were significantly more depressed, worried and psychiatrically morbid than were those before medical treatment. Three months after medical and surgical treatment, there was significantly less depression, anxiety and psychiatric morbidity in the TURP than in the medication group.

CONCLUSIONS: TURP is a better treatment than medication for minimising anxiety, depression and psychiatric morbidity after treatment in patients with LUTS, but causes greater psychological stress before treatment.