Journal Article

Changes in Urination According to the Sound of Running Water Using a Mobile Phone Application

Kim, Sohee, Lee, Sang-Jin, Kim, Sung Han, Kwon, Whi-An, Lee, Kang Hyun, Joung, Jae Young, Seo, Ho Kyung, Chung, Jinsoo

2015

Overview

The sound of running water (SRW) has been effectively used for toilet training during toddlerhood. However, the effect of SRW on voiding functions in adult males with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) has not been evaluated. To determine the effect of SRW on urination in male patients with LUTS, multiple voiding parameters of uroflowmetry with postvoid residual urine (PVR) were assessed according to the presence of SRW played by a mobile application. Eighteen consecutive male patients with LUTS were prospectively enrolled between March and April 2014. Uroflowmetry with PVR measured by a bladder scan was randomly performed once weekly for two consecutive weeks with and without SRW in a completely sealed room after pre-checked bladder volume was scanned to be more than 150 cc. SRW was played with river water sounds amongst relaxed melodies from a smartphone mobile application. The mean age of enrolled patients and their mean International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) were 58.9 ± 7.7 years (range: 46-70) and 13.1 ± 5.9, respectively. All patients had not been prescribed any medications, including alpha-blockers or anti-muscarinic agents, in the last 3 months. There was a significant increase in mean peak flow rate (PFR) with SRW in comparison to without SRW (15.7 mL/s vs. 12.3 mL/s, respectively, p = 0.0125). However, there were no differences in other uroflowmetric parameters, including PVR. The study showed that SRW from a mobile phone application may be helpful in facilitating voiding functions by increasing PFR in male LUTS patients.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Acetylcholine receptors (muscarinic) / Acoustics / Aged / Analysis / Applications programs / Bladder / Care and treatment / Cell phones / Cellular telephones / Digital video recorders / Flow velocity / Health aspects / Hospitals / Humans / Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms - diagnosis / Male / Males / Medical research / Medicine / Mens health / Middle Aged / Mobile Applications / Mobile computing / Parameters / Patients / Pediatrics / Prospective Studies / Prostate / Prostate cancer / Prostatic hyperplasia / Quality of life / Risk factors / Rivers / Running / Signs and symptoms / Smartphones / Sound / Studies / Systematic review / Toilet training / Urinary bladder / Urinary tract / Urination / Urination - physiology / Urine / Urodynamics - physiology / Urogenital system / Urology