The responsiveness of the ICSmale questionnaire to outcome: evidence from the ICS-'BPH' study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the responsiveness of the ICSmale questionnaire to the outcome of treatments for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).


METHODS
Consecutive men aged >45 years attending 23 urology centres in 12 countries, with symptoms suggestive of bladder outlet obstruction secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), were recruited to Phase I of the International Continence Society (ICS)-'BPH' study. In Phase II of the ICS-'BPH' study, 355 men in 15 centres in nine countries were followed up, having proceeded to treatment according to clinical practice. All men completed the ICS-'BPH' study questionnaire at baseline and follow-up, including the ICSmale which concerns LUTS and related problems.


RESULTS
Patients included in Phase II were similar to those in Phase I according to age and levels of baseline symptoms. Patients received a range of treatments: 32% TURP, 29% drug therapies, 20% watchful waiting, 9% minimally invasive therapies and 10% 'others' (including open prostatectomy). For patients who underwent TURP, most LUTS, including voiding and filling symptoms, were highly statistically significantly better at follow-up than at baseline (P<0.0001). For drug, minimally invasive and 'other' treatments, fewer LUTS were highly statistically significantly better. For those undergoing watchful waiting, no symptoms were significantly different between baseline and follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
The ICSmale questionnaire, in addition to being psychometrically valid and reliable, is responsive to change in outcome.
Donovan
J L
JL
Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, UK.
Brookes
S T
ST
de la Rosette
J J
JJ
Peters
T J
TJ
Porru
D
D
Kondo
A
A
Dabhoiwala
N
N
Millard
R
R
Bosch
R
R
Nordling
J
J
Matos Ferreira
A
A
Höfner
K
K
Mostafid
H
H
Walter
S
S
Nissenkorn
I
I
Frimodt Moller
C
C
Mendes Silva
M
M
Chapple
C
C
Abrams
P
P
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000592:standards; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001748:Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*