Patients’ experience with ambulatory urodynamics

Abstract

Objective. To assess emotional variables in patients who underwent ambulatory urodynamic monitoring (AUM). Material and methods. A total of 33 females and 7 males aged 23–72 years with an overactive bladder who had undergone three consecutive AUM sessions were included in the study on a prospective basis. Patients completed a self-administered questionnaire before and immediately after each procedure. Answers were given using a visual analog scale. Results. The pre-procedural level of anxiety did not differ significantly with respect to sex, age, education level or income. The degree of bother experienced by patients aged ≥ 50 years was higher than for those aged < 50 years: 5 vs 2.5 (p=0.030). As income increased, the degrees of pain (p=0.016), bother (p=0.013) and boredom (p=0.010) decreased. Other emotional aspects did not differ significantly according to age or income (p>0.05). Only the subjective bother score influenced the examiner-rated degree of intolerance during AUM (p=0.007). A total of 34 patients (85.0%) indicated that they would be willing to return for a further session of AUM. The degree of intolerance decreased at the second (p=0.006) and third (p=0.049) AUM sessions, whereas other parameters were not significantly different. Conclusion. Our results demonstrate that AUM is acceptable and well tolerated by patients with bladder dysfunction.

• Urodynamics
• ambulatory monitoring
• detrusor instability
• pain
• anxiety