Validation of Visual Prostate Symptom Score (VPSS) in Brazilian Sample Population.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Medical Informatics
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) significantly impact men's quality of life.
• Standardized questionnaires are crucial for assessing LUTS severity and guiding treatment.
• The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) is widely used, but newer, potentially more accessible tools are being developed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Visual Prostate Symptom Score (VPSS).
• To assess the correlation between VPSS and the established IPSS.
• To determine completion time, need for assistance, and factors associated with difficulty in using these instruments.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, longitudinal correlational study was conducted with 59 Brazilian men experiencing LUTS.
• The Visual Prostate Symptom Score (VPSS) and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) were administered.
• Reliability was assessed via test-retest, and validity through correlation analysis. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha.

Main Results:

• VPSS completion time (5.02 min) was shorter than IPSS (6.56 min).
• VPSS demonstrated good test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation > 0.75), similar to IPSS.
• VPSS exhibited low internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.15) compared to IPSS (0.74), with a low correlation to IPSS scores, except for quality of life items.

Conclusions:

• While VPSS is faster and reliable over time, its low internal consistency and higher need for assistance limit its utility.
• The IPSS demonstrated better internal consistency and required less help.
• Further research is needed to refine visual symptom scoring tools for LUTS assessment.