Elucidating the pivotal role of urodynamic studies in diagnosing and managing lower urinary tract symptoms: insights from a retrospective observational study at a single Nepalese center

Background: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) comprise a range of storage and voiding disorders that require accurate diagnosis for effective management. This study evaluated the role of urodynamic studies (UDS) in diagnosing LUTS and examined age- and sex-related diagnostic trends in a Nepalese population. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 401 patients who underwent UDS at a tertiary care center. Demographics, urodynamic diagnoses, and comorbidities were recorded. Descriptive statistics summarized the findings, and chi-square tests assessed associations between sex, age groups, and urodynamic diagnoses. A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of the 401 patients, 343 (85.5%) were male and 58 (14.5%) female. The 51–60 age group was most common (19.7%). Detrusor underactivity (23.2%) was the most frequent diagnosis, followed by bladder outlet obstruction (14.5%). Comorbidities were seen in 35.7% of patients, with hypertension (9.2%), benign prostatic enlargement (6.5%), and treated lumber fractures (6.0%) being most common. Significant associations were observed between sex and diagnosis (χ 2 = 338.94, P < 0.001) and age group and diagnosis (χ 2 = 1899.91, P < 0.001). Conclusions: UDS is a valuable tool in diagnosing LUTS, helping differentiate overlapping conditions. Age- and sex-specific patterns were observed, supporting the use of UDS in tailoring management, especially in diverse and resource-limited settings like Nepal.