Quality of life and disease severity in Korean women with stress urinary incontinence

Objectives. To evaluate whether disease severity influences quality of life using the Incontinence Quality of Life questionnaire and to determine the factors that effectively reflect disease severity in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Methods. A total of 109 women (mean age 54.9 years, range 31 to 77) with UI were included in the primary analyses. Data from the responses to the Incontinence Quality of Life questionnaires, I-hour pad testing, uroflowmetry, postvoid residual urine volume measurements, and videourodynamic study were included for analysis. Of the 109 patients, 24 (22.0%) were mildly, 53 (48.6%), moderately, and 32 (29.4%) severely affected, respectively, as determined by self-perceived severity. Results. The Incontinence Quality of Life total scores were associated with several variables, including self-perceived disease severity (P <0.001), type of UI (P = 0.009), number of UI episodes (P = 0.022), association with no specific activity (P = 0.017), and maximal flow rate (P = 0.027). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that self-reported disease severity (P <0.001) was a potential risk factor of a poorer quality of life. The perceived severity of UI increased with stress pad weight (P = 0.010) and the number of UI episodes (P = 0.005). Conclusions. These findings suggest that self-perceived disease severity significantly influences the quality of life of patients with SUI Although UI episodes or the number of pads used have been routinely used to evaluate SUI severity, strategies for assessing SUI should also incorporate self-perceived disease severity.