Do urinary symptoms correlate with urodynamic findings?

PURPOSE

We determined whether urinary symptomatology correlates with video urodynamic findings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 115 women with complaints of urinary incontinence completed a 27-item questionnaire. Pelvic examination and video urodynamic study were performed. Subjective findings were scored from 0 to 5, with 5 representing the most severe symptomatology. Patients were divided into 5 subgroups based on etiology of incontinence, and analyzed by Student's t test with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Among the 115 patients 11% had normal studies, 38% proximal urethral hypermobility with stress urinary incontinence, 33% intrinsic sphincter deficiency, 11% significant pelvic prolapse and stress urinary incontinence, and 10% detrusor instability. Subjective complaints, such as incontinence during physical activity, were prominent in both stress urinary incontinence groups as well as the prolapse group with stress urinary incontinence. Questions about nocturia, frequency, urgency, urge incontinence, number of pads, number of vaginal deliveries and incomplete emptying were not statistically significant for any group.

CONCLUSIONS

Subjective complaints were not helpful in differentiating the etiology of incontinence. Few questions were helpful in predicting which patients would have a normal video urodynamic study.