The Reliability of 1-Day Frequency-Volume Charts in Assessing Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Patients with Benign Prostate Hyperplasia

Hong, Hye Min; Lee, Jea Whan; Park, Seung Chol; Rim, Joung Sik

Abstract

PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of 1-day frequency-volume charts in assessing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Between Jan. 2006 and Dec. 2006, we retrospectively analyzed the medical records of men with LUTS due to BPH who visited our out-patient department. All of 70 men completed 3-days frequency-volume chart for the initial evaluation of their LUTS. We compared mean values of variables with values from respective days. Test-retest reliability was evaluated by calculating intraclass correlation coefficient.
RESULTS
The mean age was 66.7 years, mean prostate size was 33.6ml, mean IPSS was 18, and mean maximal flow rate was 13.8ml/s. The mean total voided volume was 1716.3ml/day, mean number of voids was 9.2/day, mean number of daytime voids was 7.1, and mean number of nocturnal voids was 2.0. No significant differences were found between the three 24-hr periods for the variables from the charts by ANOVA test. The intraclass correlation coefficients were mostly 0.7-0.9. But nocturnal bladder capacity was slightly less reliable than other variables, 0.557. Mean voiding volume, total voiding number, and daytime frequencyhad the high reliability.
CONCLUSIONS
A 1-day frequency-volume charts can be sufficiently reliable to provide an insight into a patient's voiding behavior. But more research of high quality is required, especially into the relationship of frequency-volume charts duration with compliance.