INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Since the emergence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in December 2019, it has become evident that additional to the respiratory impairment, many other organ systems are targeted by the disease-causing SARS-CoV2 virus. Due to the paucity of data regarding genitourinary symptoms in COVID-19, we set out to investigate the disease manifestation(s) in bladder function. We identified recovered COVID-19 patients presenting with new or worsening overactive bladder symptoms, known as COVID-19 Associated Cystitis (CAC). METHODS: We used AUA Urology Care Foundation Overactive Bladder (OAB) Assessment Tool to screen COVID-19 recovered patients at our urban-located institution from 5/22/2020 to 12/31/2020. Primary outcomes include patient responses to 5 symptom and 4 quality-of-life questions (QOL). We reported median symptom scores, as well as quality-of-life scores, based on new or worsening urinary symptoms stratified by sex. RESULTS: We identified 350 patients with de novo or worsening OAB symptoms. In patients with new onset OAB symptoms, the median symptom score was 18. Patients with worsening OAB symptoms had a median pre-COVID-19 symptom score of 8 which was exacerbated post-COVID-19 as indicated by the median symptom score of 19. The median total QOL score for both men and women was 19. In patients with worsening OAB, median pre-COVID-19 QOL score was 9 compared to median post-COVID-19 QOL score of 20. Median age was 64.5 (range 47-82). Median length of stay was 10 days (range 5-30). CONCLUSIONS: Here we report survey-based results of patients suffering from new or worsening OAB symptoms after recovery from COVID-19 which necessitated hospitalization. The total median symptom score for patients with de novo OAB was 18 and QOL score was19, irrespective of sex, indicating moderate to severe OAB. Exacerbation of symptoms post-COVID-19 in patients with existing OAB was evident by increases in symptom severity scores and deteriorating QOL. At present, the pathophysiological mechanisms of de novo or worsening OAB symptoms after recovery from COVID-19 are unknown. (Figure Presented).
New or worsening overactive bladder symptoms after recovery from COVID-19