title: Correlation between quality of life and voiding variables in patients treated with percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between quality of life (QoL) and voiding variables in patients with lower urinary tract dysfunction treated with percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS), as it is assumed that improvements in voiding will lead to a better QoL in such patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 30 patients with urge urinary incontinence who were treated with PTNS; 24-h bladder diaries and QoL questionnaires (Short Form, SF-36, and incontinence-specific QoL) were completed at baseline and after PTNS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant correlation (P < 0.05) between the number of pads used and the SF-36 domains of physical and vitality, between the number of incontinence episodes and the SF-36 domains of physical and role physical, between nocturia and the SF-36 domains of general and mental health, between the mean voided volume and the SF-36 domains of role physical and final, and between the mean voided volume and the incontinence-specific QoL score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTNS is useful for treating refractory urge incontinence and should at least be considered as a therapeutic alternative before resorting to aggressive surgery, as voiding and QoL variables significantly and quantifiably correlate in patients with refractory urge urinary incontinence who are treated with PTNS. Patients must have a reduction of >or = two pads/day before their QoL improves, and this might be the best definition of successful therapy for patients with urge urinary incontinence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Radboud University, Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Floor
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: van der Pal
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: van Balken
authors.forename: John P F A
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Heesakkers
authors.forename: Frans M J
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Debruyne
authors.forename: Lambertus A L M
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Kiemeney
authors.forename: Bart L H
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Bemelmans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014563:Urodynamics