Are voiding symptoms really associated with abnormal urodynamic voiding parameters in women?

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Women's Health
• Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

Background:

• Voiding symptoms are common in women and can significantly impact quality of life.
• Objective urodynamic measurements are crucial for diagnosing voiding dysfunction.
• The correlation between subjective voiding symptoms and objective findings requires further clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between patient-reported voiding symptoms and objective urodynamic parameters.
• To determine if specific symptoms can predict abnormal voiding function in women.

Main Methods:

• Prospective data collection from 116 women undergoing urodynamic investigations.
• Evaluation of voiding symptoms, uroflowmetry, and post-void residual (PVR) volume.
• Analysis using receiver-operator curves to assess predictive value of symptoms.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of symptoms included straining (14%), double voiding (18%), post-micturition dribbling (27%), poor stream (8%), and incomplete emptying (29%).
• Poor stream and straining were weakly predictive of elevated PVR volumes (>100 mL and >150 mL).
• Poor stream also correlated with a maximum flow rate <15 mL/s; other symptoms showed no significant correlation.

Conclusions:

• Straining and poor stream symptoms are weakly predictive of abnormal objective voiding parameters.
• These specific symptoms may suggest a higher likelihood of significant residual urine or reduced flow rate.