[Is the validated ICIQ-SF suitable for evaluation of OAB patients? A data analysis of intravesicular botulinum toxin...

The following data analysis studied the aspects of patient satisfaction following onabotulinum toxin A (BTX-A) treatment including modification of certain parameters, such as frequency of micturition and the use of pads and in particular, the applicability of the international consultation on incontinence questionnaire short form (ICIQ-SF) and the urgency perception scale (UPS) in patients with an overactive bladder (OAB).

In this study 40 female patients were questioned in the form of validated questionnaires (extended ICIQ-SF and UPS) before and after being injected with 300 IU of BTX-A in each detrusor muscle. The average age of the patients was 66 years. All patients experienced anticholinergic refractory, non-neurogenic OAB.

The recommendation rate and related patient satisfaction was 82.5 %. A significant decrease in the frequency of micturition by 50.9 % (p < 0.01) was reported as well as a significant reduction in the use of pads by 66.7 % (p < 0.01). The average number of ICIQ-SF points could be significantly (p < 0.01) reduced via BTX-A from 15.9 to 7.3. Moreover, BTX-A demonstrated a significant improvement in the urgency to urinate, which was illustrated through the UPS.

Treatment with BTX-A achieves significant improvements in female patients with anticholinergic refractory OAB with regard to the individual symptoms of OAB (e.g. pollakisuria, nocturia, undesired urination and urgency). The use of the ICIQ-SF as the only questionnaire in OAB diagnostics proved to be unsuitable as it does not include female patients with dry OAB to an adequate degree. A combination of various validated questionnaires, such as ICIQ-SF and UPS, proved to be useful.