Objective: To describe urodynamic abnormalities in HTLV-1 infected individuals presenting urinary symptoms and verify if these findings and quality of life (QOL) evaluation correlate with overall neurological impairment.
Materials and methods: From January/2001 to May/2004, 324 HTLV-1 seropositive subjects were evaluated to determine the occurrence of urinary symptoms. Urodynamic testing was performed in those who complained of frequency, urgency, or incontinence. They went through a complete clinical, neurological, and urological examination to investigate symptoms and signs of myelopathy. Neurological disability was assessed by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).
Results: From the 324 patients evaluated, 78 underwent the urodynamic testing. Fifty-seven individuals were females (73.1%) and age ranged from 23 to 76 years (mean=48.7 years; SD +/- 11.6). Urodynamic testing was abnormal in 63 patients (80.8%). The major abnormality was detrusor overactivity (DO), observed in 33 individuals (33/63; 52.4%), followed by detrusor-external sphincter dyssynergia (DESD), diagnosed in 15 subjects (15/63; 25.4%). HAM/TSP patients had significantly more DESD than the HTLV-I carriers (p=0.005; OR=5.5; CI: 1.6 to 19.4). QOL was severely compromised in HAM/TSP patients.
Conclusions: Prominent urodynamic abnormalities were identified in individuals genuinely considered as HTLV-I carriers, suggesting an early compromise of the urinary tract; whereas HAM/TSP patients presented urodynamic findings, which posed a potential risk to the upper urinary tract (dyssynergia). Urodynamic evaluation should be performed in all HTLV-I-infected individuals with voiding complaints.