Validating of a Novel Method for Electronically Recording Overactive Bladder Symptoms in Men.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to compare a novel wireless phone and web based technology to record and store overactive bladder symptoms (OAB-S) to a traditional pen and paper micturition chart.


METHODS
Overactive bladder symptoms were recorded over a period of 3 days using both an electronic micturition chart (EMC) and the standard pen and paper micturition chart (MC). Twenty-nine men, with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), were included in the study. Dropout rate, patient's preference, and correlation between the quality of life measures (QoL) and symptoms recorded with EMC versus MC, were assessed and compared.


RESULTS
Of the total number of 29 patients enrolled into the study, 24 completed the full 3-day trial using MC and 27 using EMC. MC was preferred by 50%, while EMC was preferred by 50% of participants. Using MC, 21% of patients forgot to record at least one episode of urgency, versus 17% using EMC, 17% forgot to record at least one micturition using MC versus 8% using EMC. A statistically significant correlation was found between lower severity of OAB-S and higher QoL, using both recording methods.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study population, recording symptoms with EMC did not prove to be preferable compared to MC; however, EMC provided the same level of accuracy with the same or better adherence to the study protocol.
Department of Urology, University Hospital, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Jan
J
Krhut
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Marcel
M
Gärtner
Department of Physiology, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
Katarína
K
Zvarová
Biostatistics Unit, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA.
Michael
M
Desarno
Department of Surgery, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA. peter.zvara@uvm.edu.|Department of Surgical Studies, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic. peter.zvara@uvm.edu.
Peter
P
Zvara
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004576:Electromyography; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D017216:Telemedicine; D013689:Telephone; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D053202:Urinary Incontinence, Urge / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D014554:Urination / Q000502:physiology
electronic micturition chart; overactive bladder; validation