Purpose: The relationship between nutrition and overactive bladder (OAB) has yet to be elucidated. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between the Mediterranean diet and OAB. Methods: The 14-item Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MeDAS) and Overactive Bladder-Validated 8-question Screener (OAB-V8), validated in Turkish, were administered to 500 patients over the age of 18 who presented to outpatient clinics other than urology outpatient clinics. Of those patients, 174 with chronic diseases and urinary tract infections (based on urinalysis and a detailed medical history) were excluded. Therefore, 326 patients’ data were analyzed. Results: There was a negative correlation between the MeDAS and OAB-V8 scores. High OAB-V8 scores were associated with obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2), being single, and a low education level. Conclusions Dietary patterns represent a broader perspective on food and nutrient consumption and may therefore be more predictive of disease risk. The Mediterranean type should be recommended in the first-line treatment of patients with OAB symptoms. It is easily possible to determine the compliance of patients with this diet by using the 14-item MeDAS.

PURPOSE: To determine the proportion of patients with undetected symptoms of overactive bladder by using the overactive bladder-validated 8 (OAB-V8) screening questionnaire and investigate these symptoms were undetected in female patients who were hospitalized. METHODS: We invited 2,250 female patients hospitalized in the Aegean region of Turkey to answer a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions on evidence of lower urinary tract symptoms (OAB-V8), relevant medical history, and demographic data. Patients with a total OAB-V8 score≥8 were defined as having OAB symptoms. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with OAB symptoms in this study was 40.6%. Nearly 57% of the patients with OAB symptoms had not been previously admitted to any hospital for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The two most common reasons why women with OAB symptoms did not admit themselves to a hospital because of LUTS were as follows: "I did not think I had a disease" and "The symptoms did not bother me," with a response rate of 74.7%. The mean OAB-V8 scores of the patients with these two responses were significantly lower than those of the other patients (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate a significant proportion of women with undetected OAB symptoms. The main reasons the women did not admit themselves to a hospital were their unawareness of the disease and because the LUTS were not bothersome. Public awareness programs on this disease may resolve this problem.
Diagnosis ; Female* ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Mass Screening ; Outpatients* ; Turkey ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive*