Could LUTS be early symptoms of COVID-19

Abstract

Aim: To show if lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) could be symptoms of COVID-19 with validated questionnaires.

Methods: The 96 COVID-19 patients who were hospitalised at a tertiary centre were collected retrospectively. After the exclusion criteria, 46 patients consisted the study population. All patients then fill formed the International Prostate Symptom Score and Urinary Symptom Profile respectively. All patients responded to these questions for the three period.

Results: Twenty-seven female (58.6%) and 19 male (41.4%) COVID-19 patients answered the questions. In the male patients, while there were no statistically significant differences in the total IPSS, the voiding IPSS score, and quality of life between the three periods (P = .148; P = .933, P = .079, respectively), the storage IPSS scores had a significant difference between the three periods (P = .05). In female patients, low stream scores were similar between the three periods (P = .368). The scores of stress incontinence and an overactive bladder had a significant difference between the three periods (P = .05 and P = .05).

Conclusion: LUTS, especially storage symptoms, might be one of the initial symptoms of COVID-19 and the clinicians should evaluate LUTS with other known symptoms of the virus when a patient is suspected of having COVID-19.