[Personal experience with the modified pad-weight test]

Subjective evaluation of urinary incontinence cannot assess the degree of abnormality. Objective assessment of the escape of urine is essential for assessment of the degree of incontinence or for evaluation of the therapeutic results. Therefore a simple standard test was elaborated which can be used for the objective measurement of urinary losses in all patients. The International Continence Society (I.C.S.) recommended in 1983 a one-hour test for objective assessment of escape of urine. The latter assesses the loss of urine by weighing pads or dispers before and after standard activities. The authors tried in their clinical department to assess the significance of a modified 40-minute test in women with urinary incontinence--it was only 44%. They also compared the results of the PWT and Puraclo,max and compared these results with the number of women operated on account of incontinence. In the group of patients with a positive PWT a neg-puraclo,max was recorded in 88.2%. Conversely in patients with a neg-puraclo,max the PWT was positive only in 50%. Surgery was used in neg-puraclo,max in 75% and in positive PWT in 76.6% women. In a negative PWT a neg-puraclo,max was recorded in 65% of the patients of whom 61.5% were operated and two refused operation. In the conclusion the authors emphasize that PWT alone provides only basic objective information on the patient's complaints. The reliability of evaluation of the patient's complaints is increased by complete urodynamic examination.