The Prolapse Quality-of-life Questionnaire as a Substitute for Assessing Voiding and Storage Conditions in Patients...

The Prolapse Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (P-QOL) is a validated tool for assessing symptom severity and treatment outcomes in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). This study investigates whether the total score of selected P-QOL component questions can serve as a substitute for the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) plus quality-of-life (QOL) score in patients with POP undergoing transvaginal mesh (TVM) surgery.

The study enrolled 137 patients who underwent TVM at our institution between May 2016 and November 2023. Correlations between the total score of selected P-QOL component questions and the IPSS or QOL score were assessed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare P-QOL scores between IPSS ≥8 and ≤7 groups and QOL ≥4 and ≤3 groups at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively.

Significant correlations were observed between the total score of selected P-QOL component questions and the IPSS or QOL score, both preoperatively and postoperatively. Box plot analyses showed significant differences in P-QOL scores between the IPSS ≥8 and ≤7 groups and the QOL ≥4 and ≤3 groups at all time points. In addition, post-void residual urine volume, P-QOL scores, and IPSS plus QOL scores significantly decreased at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively compared with baseline.

The P-QOL provides reliable information on voiding and storage conditions preoperatively and postoperatively, making it a viable alternative to the IPSS plus QOL score for evaluating urinary symptoms in patients with POP undergoing TVM.