The relationship between objective frequency-volume chart data and the I-PSS in men with lower urinary tract symptoms.
OBJECTIVE
The International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) is considered a benchmark in defining the severity of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). However, its relationship with variables of the frequency-volume (FV) chart, an objective measure of LUTS, is not well understood. We analyzed this relationship between the I-PSS and FV chart variables in men with LUTS.


METHODS
Patients referred for the investigation of uncomplicated LUTS completed an I-PSS and a 3-d FV chart. Correlation coefficients were used to describe the relationship between total I-PSS and its components with the FV variables. The distributions of FV variable scores within the categories of I-PSS severity were also examined. The effect of patient's quality of life score on I-PSS and FV variables was analyzed using regression.


RESULTS
A total of 104 patients completed both the I-PSS and FV chart. The association between FV variables and I-PSS scores was generally weak, with 24-h frequency being the strongest (r = 0.43) and with considerable overlap within each severity category. There was weak association between the I-PSS for nocturia and urgency and their FV counterparts. The number of self-reported nocturnal voids tended to be overestimated. These discrepancies were partly explained by the patient's quality of life rating, which reduced the level of variation between I-PSS score and FV variables and accounted for some of the overestimation.


CONCLUSIONS
Weak associations were found between the self-rated I-PSS scores and FV measures of voiding, suggesting that the accurate assessment of LUTS requires self-reported measures of symptoms and objective measures of voiding behaviour. Significant differences between the two types of data might be explained by perceived quality of life.
Yap
Tet L
TL
Clinical Effectiveness Unit, Royal College of Surgeons of England, London, UK. tetyap@doctors.net.uk
Cromwell
David A
DA
Brown
Christian
C
van der Meulen
Jan
J
Emberton
Mark
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D053448:Prostatism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014563:Urodynamics / Q000502:physiology*