Jjmch. Delarosette et al., RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LOWER URINARY-TRACT SYMPTOMS AND BLADDER OUTLETOBSTRUCTION - RESULTS FROM THE ICS-BPH STUDY, Neurourol. urodyn., 17(2), 1998, pp. 99-108
Despite the lack of evidence in the literature for close relationships
between lower urinary tract symptoms and bladder outlet obstruction,
the majority of urologists rely on symptomatology when selecting patie
nts for prostatic surgery. We investigated the relationships between a
wide range of lower urinary tract symptoms from the ICSmale questionn
aire and the results of urodynamic pressure and flow studies. We evalu
ated 933 patients with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive for bla
dder outlet obstruction from 12 countries who participated in the ICS-
''BPH'' study with the ICSmale questionnaire and urodynamic pressure a
nd flow studies. Spearman rank correlation coefficients were obtained
between symptoms and measures of bladder outlet obstruction. There was
little or no correlation between a wide range of symptoms and the res
ults of free uroflowmetry and pressure and flow studies. From symptoms
alone, it is not possible to diagnose bladder outlet obstruction. Pre
ssure and flow studies and symptom profiles measure different aspects
of the clinical condition that should be viewed separately in the eval
uation and treatment decision of the patient presenting with lower uri
nary tract symptoms. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.