[Validation of the Spanish version of the "Bladder control Self-Assessment Questionnarie" (B-SAQ). A new screening instrument for lower urinary tract dysfunction].

BACKGROUND

Taking into account the high prevalence in our country of Overactive Bladder Syndrome (OAB) ("urgency", with or without incontinence, sometimes associated to an increase in frequency and/or nocturia) and the difficulty to identify it, it would be interesting to have a short patient self assessment screening questionnarie for the evaluation of lower urinary tract symptoms. The objective of the study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Bladder control Self-Assessment Questionnaire (B-SAQ).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

133 women consulting due to lower urinary tract symptoms in a health care centre specialised on uroginecology. The subjects filled the B-SAQ (scales "symptoms" and "discomfort") and the ICIQ-UI SF, and underwent the usual protocol: uroginecologic history, pelvic examination and urodynamic study. Feasibility, validity, and reliability of the B-SAQ were assessed, as well as the ROC curve for the scores of both BCSEQ scales regarding the urodynamic diagnosis of Detrusor Overactivity (DO).

RESULTS

Feasibility: Average administration time, 3.5 (1.5) minutes: 2 women did not answer any of the questionnaires.

VALIDITY

the scores for "symptoms" and "discomfort" were higher in those women with a DO diagnosis: "symptoms" = 7.8 (2.6) vs 6.2 (2.3) (p=0.0002); "discomfort" = 9.1 (3) vs 7.8 (3.6) (p=0.03); the Spearman's correlation coefficient between "discomfort" scale and item 3 of the ICIQ-UI SF (affection) was 0.65 (p<0.001). Feasibility: Cronbach's alpha for "symptoms" was 0.722 and 0,889 for "discomfort". According to the COR curve for both scales, a score greater than or equal to 6 showed adequate sensibility and specificity for the DO diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The B-SAQ is an easy-use instrument which shows adequate feasibility, validity and reliability for its use in clinical practice as screening instrument for OAB.