[Relationship between female stress urinary incontinence intensity and the data of urethral pressure profile]

To determine the utility of the urethral pressure profile in the diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence and its possible correlation with the degree of severity of incontinence.

175 female patients with a clinical history of urinary incontinence were evaluated; of these, 50 cases with bladder instability demonstrated by the urodynamic studies were excluded. Patient evaluation included clinical history, physical examination, analytical studies, radiological evaluation and complete urodynamic assessment, including uroflowmetry, filling and voiding cystometry, and static and dynamic urethral pressure profiles. A 10 Fr microtransducer catheter was utilized for the urethral pressure profile studies. ICS recommendations were observed. Patients were classified into three groups according to the severity of urinary incontinence based on the clinical data, physical examination and urodynamic findings. The Wilcoxson test and 2 x 2 contingency table were employed for the statistical analysis.

Of the parameters analyzed for the static urethral pressure profile, statistically significant differences were found only for the maximum urethral pressure and maximum closing urethral pressure in the different groups of patients. No differences in total length or functional urethral length were observed. Comparison of the dynamic urethral pressure profiles of the different groups showed a statistically significantly higher proportion of patients with a negative dynamic urethral closing pressure in the group of patients with urodynamically and clinically demonstrated urinary incontinence than in those with no urodynamically or clinically demonstrable incontinence.

The urethral pressure profile is sufficiently reliable to confirm the diagnosis of urinary incontinence and its degree of severity. As a diagnostic test in urinary stress incontinence, it has a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 95%.