Comparison between reduction in 24‐hour pad weight, International Consultation on Incontinence‐Short Form (ICIQ‐SF) score, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and Post‐Operative Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI‐I) score in patient evaluation after male perineal sling

Abstract

Aims We assessed the utility of three self‐assessment instruments: the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire‐Short Form (ICIQ‐SF), the post‐operative Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI‐I) score, and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) by correlating them with an objective outcome, the change in 24‐hr pad weight, after a male perineal sling. Methods Twenty‐six men with urodynamically confirmed stress incontinence underwent a male perineal sling. Patients were evaluated pre‐operatively and post‐operatively with a 24‐hr pad test, IPSS and ICIQ‐SF. Patients also completed the PGI‐I post‐operatively. Changes in study parameters were compared via the paired t‐test, and correlations were performed using Spearman's rho. Results There were significant reductions in 24‐hr pad weight (−274 g, P < 0.001), percentage 24‐hr pad weight (54.2%), ICIQ‐SF score (−6.3, P < 0.001), and the three ICIQ‐SF subscores (−1.2, −1.7, −3.4 for Questions 3, 4, and 5, respectively, P < 0.001 for all). The change in total ICIQ‐SF score and the post‐operative PGI‐I score correlated strongly with percentage reduction in 24‐hr pad weight (r = −0.68, P < 0.001; r = −0.81, P < 0.001, respectively) and with each other (r = 0.79, P < 0.001). The change in all three ICIQ‐SF subscores correlated significantly with percentage reduction in 24‐hr pad weight and with post‐operative PGI‐I score. There was no significant change in the IPSS or the voiding or storage subscores, and none correlated with any other study parameter. Conclusions This study validates the construct validity of the ICIQ‐SF and PGI‐I in the assessment of treatment for male stress incontinence and should make clinicians confident in comparing studies of incontinence treatment utilizing the change ICIQ‐SF score, the post‐operative PGI‐I score, and percentage reduction in 24‐hr pad weight as outcome measures. Neurourol. Urodynam.