Reliability of the patient's history in the diagnosis of urinary incontinence

The reliability of a patient's history has been challenged in the preoperative evaluation of stress urinary incontinence. In this study, 122 consecutive patients referred to our Gynecology/Urology clinic were evaluated and an additional 32 control patients (continent women with no urinary symptoms) were evaluated. All patients answered a detailed 64-item questionnaire, and all patients received a complete urodynamic evaluation. Our detailed questionnaire provided a mean positive predictive value of 80% for genuine stress incontinence and 25% for detrusor instability. The conditions leading to a false positive history suggestive of genuine stress incontinence were detrusor instability and urethral diverticulum. The conditions leading to a false positive history suggestive of detrusor instability were urethritis, unstable urethra, vaginitis and polyuria. History alone can be misleading in diagnosing urinary incontinence.