Association Between Metabolic Syndrome and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Middle-Aged Men: A Cross-Sectional Study: Metabolic Syndrome and Urinary Symptoms

Abdullah Shaikh; Muhammad Awais  Memon; Usaid-ur-Rehman Amjad; Gulvash; Ayesha Jamal; Gyaneshwari

doi:10.69750/dmls.02.09.0149

Authors

Abdullah Shaikh Assistant Professor & Head, Department of Urology, The University of Modern Sciences, Tando Muhammad Khan, Pakistan Author
Muhammad Awais Memon Senior Registrar, Department of Medicine, Indus Medical College Hospital, Pakistan Author
Usaid-ur-Rehman Amjad Medical Student, International School of Medicine, Kyrgyzstan Author
Gulvash Department of Physiology, Women University Mardan, Bakhshali Campus, Pakistan Author
Ayesha Jamal House Officer, Indus Hospital / Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan Author
Gyaneshwari House Officer, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, Pakistan Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69750/dmls.02.09.0149

Keywords:

metabolic syndrome, lower urinary tract symptoms, IPSS, obesity, middle-aged adults

Abstract

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a collection of cardiometabolic disorders that significantly raises the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. An increasing body of research indicates that MetS also affects lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), a disorder that reduces quality of life. Data from South Asian communities are still hard to come by, though.

Objective: To assess the association between metabolic syndrome and the severity of LUTS in middle-aged adults.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2024 to February 2025 in two tertiary care hospitals in Punjab, Pakistan. Eighty participants (50 men, 30 women) aged 40–65 years were enrolled. MetS was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria, and LUTS severity was evaluated using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Anthropometric measurements, fasting plasma glucose, and lipid profiles were obtained. Statistical analysis included t-tests, chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression.

Results: The prevalence of MetS was 46.3%. Participants with MetS had significantly higher mean IPSS scores compared with those without (16.3 ± 5.2 vs. 12.6 ± 4.8, p < 0.001). Among men, 32.4% with MetS had severe LUTS compared with 11.5% without, while among women, 15.4% with MetS had severe LUTS compared with 5.9% without. Logistic regression showed that MetS increased the odds of moderate-to-severe LUTS by 3.1 times (95% CI: 1.4–6.7, p = 0.004). Central obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension were independent predictors of LUTS severity.

Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome is strongly associated with increased LUTS severity in middle-aged adults, particularly in men. Screening and management of metabolic risk factors should be integrated into the care of patients presenting with LUTS.

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