Correlation between symptoms and urodynamic findings in Thai female patients with urinary incontinence

To determine the accuracy of a urinary incontinence questionnaire in the diagnosis of various types of urinary incontinence classified according to the results of multichannel urodynamic testing.

Between May 2000 and April 2004, 129 women with symptoms of urinary incontinence were interviewed using a urinary incontinence questionnaire consisting of 12 urinary symptoms questions. Various patient demographic and other descriptive data were also collected. All patients underwent multichannel urodynamic testing, and classified using the International Continence Society criteria. Descriptive data and patient symptoms were tested for statistical association with the types of urinary incontinence. Sensitivity and specificity were used to measure the accuracy of the symptoms in distinguishing between the various urodynamic conditions.

Of the 12 questions, only three questions (two stress incontinence symptoms and one overactive bladder symptom) were significantly associated with the urodynamic diagnoses of genuine Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) and Detrusor Overactivity (DO). The sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing between genuine SUI and DO from other urodynamic diagnoses or between each other were relatively low.

Symptoms of urinary incontinence were not sufficient to predict types of urinary incontinence. Therefore, the authors suggest that urodynamic testing is still essential in the diagnosis and management of female urinary incontinence.