Validation of Spanish version of Pelvic Pain and Urgency/Frequency (PUF) patient symptom scale

To translate the previously described Pelvic Pain and Urgency/Frequency (PUF) questionnaire into Spanish using a back-translation technique and to validate the Spanish version in a group of bilingual women with symptoms consistent with interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome.

Bilingual women with complaints of urinary urgency/frequency and/or pelvic pain were randomized to complete initially either the Spanish version or the original English version of the PUF questionnaire followed by the questionnaire in the other language. To evaluate retest reliability, subjects completed the Spanish version a second time 1 week later. Demographic information, including age, ethnic origin, and primary language, was obtained. Paired t tests and Wilcoxon signed rank tests for total PUF score, its two domain scores, and each item were used to assess the difference between the Spanish and English versions. Test and retest reliability of the Spanish version was similarly assessed. Agreement between the Spanish and English versions was assessed by weighted kappa statistics and 95% confidence intervals for each item. P values less than 0.05 were considered significant, and kappa values greater than 0.7 were considered to indicate good agreement.

No statistically significant difference was found in the mean or median scores (ie, item, symptom, bother, total) between the English and Spanish versions. Good agreement between English and Spanish versions in all eight items was demonstrated by weighted kappa statistics. The Spanish version demonstrated retest reliability among total scores and seven of eight items when administered 1 week later.

The Spanish PUF questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument for the evaluation and treatment of patients with interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome.