Nocturia and neurological health

Two interesting studies by Asplund and Asplund et al. showed that self-reported poor somatic and mental health, pain, sick leave and visual impairement all increased with increasing nocturnal voids, while quality of life decreased.(1,2) This is very interesting in view of the importance of sleep for immune function (see below) and the possibility of neurological causes. Hypercalciuria has been implicated with nocturia in children and with concomitant hypokalemia also with diabetes insipidus, while in adults hypertension has been associated with nocturia. Sugaya et al. (7) have also shown that patients with nocturia have higher levels of serum catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine) which indicates that nocturia is stressful per se, or caused by a disorder of or affecting the adrenal gland. Other causes are: heart disease, sleep apnea, bladder and prostate problems, diabetes mellitus, HPA dysfunction (nocturnal polyuria and diabetes insipidus).

Nocturia is the leading cause of sleep disruption in adults. It is not a sickness of old age but afflicts young adults, 35+, too. "Nocturia patients are sleeping on average only 2-3 hours before waking for the first void." Traditionally nocturia has been indicated if two or more voids per night, but nocturia once a night is almost as disruptive as twice a night. Especially if the void occurs during slow wave sleep (during the first 4 hours of sleep).(3) "This results in disruption of the restorative sleep period with physiological consequences such as mood disturbance, cognitive and memory impairment and reduced performance at work. In addition, it is accountable for increased morbidity and mortality, increased risk of falling, cardiovascular disease, depression and lowered immune response." Sleep disruption also causes lowered testosterone and LH levels. Especially if disruption occurs during REM sleep.(8) It is more bothersome for younger people especially as they have work and families to care for and cannot take a nap or two during the day.(4) (Notice that lack of sleep causes daytime tiredness, mood disturbances, memory impairment, increased falling, accidents, more often sick, decreased life expectancy, depression, diabetes, obesity etc.) Nocturia affects QoL as much or even more as prostate cancer (except terminal cancer) and cardio-vascular disease regardless whether it is one or more nightly voiding.(5)

The preferred treatment for nocturia is desmopressin as it ensure the longest uninterrupted sleep period. Time to first void is on average 4-5 hours. Desmopressin increaes mean initial sleep period with about 100 minutes while indiplon and temazepam only with about 45-50 and 65-70 minutes.(6)

Andra bloggar om CPPS, kroniskt bäckenbottensmärtsyndrom, kronisk abakteriell prostatit, NIHIIIb, nokturi, överaktiv blåsa
____________________
(1) Asplund R, Marnetoft S-U, Selander J, Åkerström B. Nocturia in relation to somatic health, mental health and pain in adult men and women. BJU Int 95:816-819, 2005.
(2) Asplund R. Visual impairment, sleep and nocturia in the elderly. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 41(1):61-67, 2005.
(3) N Stanley, Sleep, is it a waste of time and is nocturia causing relevant problems?, EUA 2009 Congress
(4) JP Norgaard, Nocturia: a disease or a natural consequence of ageing, EUA 2009 Congress
(5) T Holm-Larsen Why treat nocturia... EUA 2009 Congress
(6) van Kerrebroeck et al Eur Urol 52:221-229, 2007
(7) Sugaya K, Nishijima S, Miyazato M, Ogawa Y. Central nervous control of micturition and urine storage. J Smooth Muscle Res 41(3):117-132, 2005.
(8) In papers by Luboshitzky and Axelsson. Additional detail in post about testosterone.