Changes in the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scores following sacral neuromodulation for lower urinary tract symptoms.

BACKGROUND

Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) treatment of refractory urinary symptoms is associated with quality of life improvements using disease-specific instruments. There is a paucity of information relating universal health outcomes to effective treatment of urinary symptoms. The objective was to analyze changes in Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) item-bank scores following SNM for treating refractory lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a sub-analysis collected from an institutional review board approved, retrospective chart review evaluating changes between pre- and post-procedure PROMIS scores in subjects undergoing successful SNM implantation for refractory LUTS at a multidisciplinary adult continence clinic. The difference between pre- and post-procedure PROMIS scores was compared via two-sided Wilcoxon signed-rank test, with .05 considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Of the 29 subjects, most were female (89.66%), Caucasian (68.97%), nonsmokers (89.66%) with public insurance (62.07%). The median age was 63years and body mass index was 33.2kg/m. Procedure indications included urinary urge incontinence (83%), mixed urinary incontinence (10%), retention (17.24%), and overactive bladder (3%). Pain Interference and Depression scores had a nonsignificant improvement from 64.2 (ranging 58.9-67.5) to 60.75 (ranging 55.2-67.2), = 0.21, and 55.2 (ranging 51.5-59.9) to 53.4 (ranging 49.5-61.1), = 0.33, respectively. Median Physical Function scores demonstrated nonsignificant worsening following implantation from 38.0 (ranging 34.7-40.9) to 36.1 (ranging 33.1-40.8) = 0.25). Twenty-one subjects (72%) reported an improvement in at least 1 PROMIS item-bank with 6 subjects (21%) reporting no improvement in any of the item-banks.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of refractory LUTS with SNM resulted in no statistically significant changes in the PROMIS item-banks of Physical Function, Pain Interference, or Depression. Further prospective investigation is necessary to delineate the relationship of the self-reported universal-health outcomes in the treatment of LUTS.