Aims: To investigate the association between overactive bladder symptoms and objective parameters from the bladder diary and conventional filling cystometry.
Methods: We reviewed the records of the 95 consecutive patients presenting at our center for urodynamic investigation. These women were asked to self-complete a questionnaire and a bladder diary for 48 hr. Urogenital symptoms and disease-specific quality of life were assessed with standardized questionnaire, namely the Dutch version of the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI) and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ).
Results: The frequency symptom as well as the urge incontinence symptom is significantly associated with the presence of detrusor overactivity. In univariate analysis both frequency and urgency symptoms are associated with lower micturition and bladder sensation volumes. In multivariate (ANOVA) analysis, the frequency symptom is associated with a higher 24-hr frequency, lower maximum volume voided, and mean volume voided per micturition on the bladder diary. It is also associated with lower sensation volumes on the filling cystometry.
Conclusions: Of the four symptoms that are currently considered to be part of the overactive bladder syndrome, the frequency symptom is the best associated with objective parameters from the bladder diary, filling cystometry, and with the occurrence of detrusor overactivity. Therefore, we would like to suggest that reporting subjective symptoms frequency is obligatory for considering one to have an overactive bladder.
Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.