Effect of treating lower urinary tract symptoms on anxiety, depression and psychiatric morbidity: a one-year study

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of treating lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) on anxiety, depression and psychiatric morbidity following one year of follow-up. Methods. A total of 297 patients were involved in this study. Patients were recruited into a surgical group (patients underwent transurethral resection of the prostate, n = 111), a medical group (underwent α-blockers treatment, n = 116) and a control group (renal stones patients with no or mild symptoms of severity, n = 70). Patients were assessed on anxiety, depression and psychiatric morbidity levels before and after treatment and were followed at 3, 6 and 12 months. Results: The study showed that before treatment for LUTS, most of the patients, especially the surgical group compared to the medical and control groups, were more anxious, depressed and psychiatrically morbid. However, after treatment, most of the patients in the surgical group experienced a great improvement in their anxiety, depression and psychiatric morbidity level when compared to the medical and control groups. The reduction or improvement of their psychological profile was due to the reduction or total withdrawal of LUTS after treatment. Conclusion: Both medical and surgical treatment improved patient LUTS and thus improved their overall anxiety, depression and psychiatric morbidity.