Overactive bladder: A multicenter study in Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the overall prevalence of overactive bladder in Pakistan, and to determine the difference in prevalence in relation to gender. METHODS: The multicenter study was conducted from February 2017 to October 2018 at 11 institutions across the country, and comprised randomly selected healthy subjects of either gender who were assessed on the basis of symptoms defined by the International Continence Society for overactive bladder. Data was collected using a questionnaire based on the symptoms which was filled for the respondent by designated health workers. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. RESULTS: Of the 1291 respondents, 632(49%) were males with a mean age of 37.8±14.4 years, and 659(51%) were females with a mean age of 38.3±13.7 years. The overall prevalence of overactive bladder was 82(6.4%). Among the males, it was 15(2.4%) and among the females 67(10.2%) (p=0.001). Urgency, frequency and nocturia were reported by 82(6.4%) respondents; 15(1.2%) males and 67(5.2%) females (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of overactive bladder was found to be low when assessed with strict application.

Should we use the shorter Thai-version quality of life and symptoms questionnaires in women with overactive bladder?

AIM: The aim of this study was to test: (i) the validation and reliability of the Thai versions of overactive bladder (OAB) questionnaires (the 8-item and 3-item Overactive Bladder Symptoms Score questionnaires [OAB-v8 and OAB-v3, respectively] and the Overactive Bladder Questionnaire [OAB-q]); and (ii) the correlation of the OAB-v8, OAB-v3, and the single-question Quality of Life Questionnaire (1-QoL) to the OAB-q in Thai women with OAB. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During January to March 2011, 36 Thai women with OAB attending a urogynecology clinic at Chulalongkorn Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand were recruited. All questionnaires were given as a psychometric test twice, 2 weeks apart. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha of the OAB-v8 was higher (and above 0.7) than OAB-v3 at both week 0 and week 2. The intraclass correlations (ricc ) were 0.64, 0.85, and 0.97 for the OABV8, OAB-v3, and OAB-q, respectively. The correlation coefficient (r) of OAB-v3 and OAB-q at weeks 0 and 2 (0.40 and 0.49) were lower than those for OAB-v8 and OAB-q at weeks 0 and 2 (0.62 and 0.62). All questions on the OAB-v3 had a lower weighted kappa than OAB-v8. There was no statistically significant difference in the OAB-q score in each level of 1-QoL score at week 0 (P = 0.12) and at week 2 (P = 0.29). CONCLUSION: The reliability of the OAB-v3 is poorer than that of the OAB-v8. The OAB-v3 is poorer correlated to the OAB-q than to the OAB-v8. A short questionnaire, such as the OAB-v3 and the 1-QoL, has poor reliability and is poorly correlated to the OAB-q and is not recommended as a replacement for the standard questionnaires, such as the OAB-q and the OAB-v8. The OAB-v3 should only be used in large screening populations where there are time limits.