Residual urine in 75-year-old men and women. A normative population study.

The prevalence of residual urine in elderly people in the community is poorly documented. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence and range of residual urine in elderly people in the community. As part of a major epidemiologic study (The Glostrup Population Study), 140 75-year-old men and women were included in this study (92 men, 48 women). All were selected at random from the Central Person Register by age and residence. All had a single sonographic measurement of residual urine with a prevoid volume of 150 ml or more. More than 10 ml of residual urine was found in 91 of the 92 men (median 90 ml; range 10-1502 ml), and in 44 of the 48 women (median 45 ml; range 0-180 ml). Our figures correspond to those previously reported in selected patient populations. It must be emphasized, however, that our findings are merely descriptive, as the clinical significance of a single residual urine determination is questionable.