Predictive value of obstructive voiding symptoms and objective bladder emptying tests for urinary retention

S. Jeona & E.-H. Yoo*aa Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, KoreaCorrespondence: E.-H. Yoo, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 149 Sangil-Dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, 134–727, Republic of Korea. E-mail: yooe7@khu.ac.krThe prevalence of voiding dysfunction was 47.4% by the question of “do you usually experience a feeling of incomplete bladder emptying” from Korean version of PFDI (pelvic floor distress inventory), 33.7% by the value of less than 10th centile of peak flow rate of uroflowmetry by Liverpool nomogram, 20.2% by the cutoff values of less than 12 ml per second of maximum flow rate and greater than 25cmH20 of detrusor pressure at maximum flow rate in the pressure flow study and 11.6% by the elevated post-void residual urine volume more than 50 ml in 95 women who visited urogynaecology clinic with lower urinary tract symptoms. Each method had low positive predictive values for high post-void residuals (subjective symptom 0.16, uroflowmetry 0.29, pressure flow study 0.28). The prevalence of voiding dysfunction is fairly high and none of the questionnaire and objective bladder emptying tests is sufficient for the diagnosis of urinary retention.