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The role of serum C-reactive protein in women with lower urinary tract symptoms

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Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

Some lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) subtypes may be associated with low-grade inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the role of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in women with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

Methods

A total of 197 consecutive women with non-stress urinary incontinence (non-SUI) LUTS and 18 healthy women without LUTS (normal controls) were enrolled. LUTS include urinary storage, voiding, and post-micturition symptoms. Patients with previous bladder or urethral surgery, active urinary tract infections, or possible neurogenic lesions were excluded. Serum CRP levels were measured before any treatment was given. Patients were stratified to LUTD subgroups based on a 3-day voiding diary, uroflowmetry, and selective videourodynamic studies.

Results

Median CRP levels were significantly higher in women with overactive bladder (OAB) wet (i.e., with urgency incontinence, n = 30, 0.12 mg/dl) than those in women with bladder oversensitivity (n = 68, 0.075 mg/dl, P = 0.008) and the control group (0.055 mg/dl, P = 0.032). Further analysis revealed that body mass index and maximum flow rate were two independent factors that affected CRP levels. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for using CRP to predict OAB wet was 0.55, and the most predictive cutoff point for CRP was 0.15 mg/dl (sensitivity 43.5 %, specificity 72.7 %).

Conclusions

High serum CRP levels were found in women with OAB wet, and they were related to lower maximum urinary flow rates and higher body mass indices in non-SUI LUTD. However, serum CRP is not a suitable biomarker for discriminating between subtypes of non-SUI LUTD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Banqiao, New Taipei, Taiwan

    Sheng-Mou Hsiao

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Ho-Hsiung Lin

  3. Department of Urology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital and Tzu Chi University, No. 707, Section 3, Chung Yang Road, Hualien, Taiwan

    Hann-Chorng Kuo

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  1. Sheng-Mou Hsiao
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  2. Ho-Hsiung Lin
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  3. Hann-Chorng Kuo
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Correspondence to Hann-Chorng Kuo.

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Hsiao, SM., Lin, HH. & Kuo, HC. The role of serum C-reactive protein in women with lower urinary tract symptoms. Int Urogynecol J 23, 935–940 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-012-1715-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-012-1715-1

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