Objective: To define pressure, volume and infusion speed criteria for the ice-water test (IWT).
Patients and methods: In this prospective clinical study, cystometry and IWTs were performed in 115 patients.
Results: The critical response for a positive IWT was found to be a peak detrusor pressure above 30 cm H2O, with or without fluid leakage. Neither the infusion speed nor the infused volume was critical for the outcome of the test provided that the bladder wall was sufficiently cooled.
Conclusion: The IWT is a rapid, simple and robust test, whose results are easy to interpret. The test increases the precision of urodynamic diagnosis, especially in patients with an overactive detrusor dysfunction, at a small cost.