To assess the impact of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) on individual components of quality of life (QoL) using both condition-specific and generic questionnaires, and to compare the results of the two instruments with a control group.
Women with or without SUI aged ≥21 years old were recruited. Subjects completed the International Consultation of Incontinence-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF), International Consultation of Incontinence-Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Quality of Life (ICIQ-LUTSqol) and EQ-5D questionnaires.
A total of 120 women with SUI and 145 controls participated. The ICIQ-LUTSqol total score (mean±SD) was significantly higher in the SUI (38.96±10.28) compared with the control group (20.78±2.73) (p<0.001). When adjusted for significant confounders, the SUI group continued to have significantly poorer QoL compared with the control group (p<0.001). The negative effect of SUI on 'physical activities' and 'jobs' were the two most frequently reported and burdensome components of the ICIQ-LUTSqol, with approximately 50% of women with SUI affected 'moderately' or 'a lot'. When measured using the EQ-5D questionnaire, there were significantly higher percentages of SUI patients who had problems with usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression (p<0.05).
Women suffering from SUI have significantly poorer QoL compared with continent women when measured using both condition-specific and generic QoL measures. Clinicians should pay closer attention to impact of SUI on individual components of QoL, particularly limitations on physical activities and jobs which were the two most impairing and frequently reported components of QoL.
Urology. 2017 Oct 26 [Epub ahead of print]
Renly Lim, Men Long Liong, Wing Seng Leong, Yong Khee Lau, Nurzalina Abdul Karim Khan, Kah Hay Yuen
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia. Electronic address: ., Department of Urology, Island Hospital, Penang, Malaysia., Department of Urology, Lam Wah Ee Hospital, Penang, Malaysia., School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia.