Is there an alternative to pad tests? Correlation of subjective variables of severity of urinary loss to the 1-h pad test in women with stress urinary incontinence.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the 1-h pad test in women who have urodynamically confirmed stress incontinence (USI) with a patient-based 3-point symptom severity scale and validated quality of life (QoL) questionnaires.


METHODS
In all, 98 women with USI were prospectively recruited; all had a 1-h pad test and completed the validated disease-specific QoL questionnaires, including short forms of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ-SF), Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6), and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7). In addition, the severity of incontinence was determined using the Stamey grading scale, a visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and a patient-based 3-point symptom severity scale.


RESULTS
The VAS, symptom severity scale, Stamey grade, UDI-6, and IIQ-7 failed to correlate significantly with the 1-h pad test. Only the ICIQ-SF correlated significantly with this test.


CONCLUSIONS
The ICIQ-SF is easy to administer and, in this study, correlated best with the 1-h pad test in women with pure primary or secondary USI. It incorporates both symptom severity and QoL variables. We recommend its routine use in clinical practice.
Franco
Anna Virginia M
AV
Department of Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery and Urogynaecology, St. George's Hospital, London, UK. avmfranco@yahoo.com
Lee
Frank
F
Fynes
Michelle M
MM
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016496:Incontinence Pads; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014563:Urodynamics