The urethral pressure profile at rest: An analysis of variance

Resting urethral pressure protile measurements were carried out by a microtransducer method on 100 women with a variety of urinary symptoms in an attempt to analyse the repeatability and reproducibility of the various protile parameters. The findings were as follows: The repeatability of parameters was shown to have some dependence on the rate of catheter withdrawal. being optiinal at 15 cm per minute. Profiles recorded by microtransducer showed greater consistency than those recorded by a fluid perfusion method. in terms of the parameters of urethral length. Whilst the fluid perfusion method has previously been shown to have a significant component of variance duc to time. no such time‐dependent component was found with the microtransducer method. Urethral pressures measured by microtransducer do appear to have a significant time‐dependence when recorded during the menstrual cycle in women of reproductive age. These findings suggest that the microtransducer method of urethral pressure measurement has a greater diagnostic reliability than the tluid perfusion method. It also has a greater capacity to assess the effects of drugs. hormones. and surgery on the urethral pressure profile. Care must be takcn. however. in the interpretation of pressure variations noted In women in reproductive age groups.