The following is a summary of “10-item LURN Symptom Index (LURN SI-10) Detects Additional Symptoms and Shows Convergent Validity With the IPSS in Men Presenting With Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms,” published in the JANUARY 2023 issue of Urology by Glaser, et al.

For a study, researchers sought to compare the Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN)-SI-10 questionnaire with the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) attributed to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Specifically, they aimed to evaluate convergent validity and identify how frequently the LURN-SI-10 identifies symptoms not captured by the IPSS.

The study enrolled men with BPH/LUTS who completed LURN-SI-10 and IPSS questionnaires. Urinary incontinence, including post-void dribbling (PVD), urgency urinary incontinence (UUI), and stress urinary incontinence (SUI), as well as bladder pain, were considered present if the patient reported experiencing them “about half the time or more” on the LURN-SI-10. The study assessed correlations between LURN-SI-10 and IPSS as continuous and categorical variables and performed multivariable linear regression analysis to determine associations with symptom scores.

The study found a strong correlation between LURN-SI-10 and IPSS in men with BPH/LUTS (r = 0.82, n = 429) and respective bother and quality of life scores (ρ = 0.74). In addition, the LURN-SI-10 identified additional symptoms not captured by the IPSS, including PVD (24%), UUI (13%), SUI (2%), and pain (8%). Men with any UUI, SUI, or PVD had, on average, a 7.6-point higher LURN-SI-10 score than those without UI (P<.001) and an 8.0-point higher IPSS score than those without UI (P<.001).

In conclusion, while the LURN-SI-10 correlated strongly with the IPSS, it also identified additional important symptomatology in men with LUTS attributed to BPH. The additional information may improve the evaluation and treatment of men with BPH/LUTS and warrant further prospective studies of the LURN-SI-10.

Reference: goldjournal.net/article/S0090-4295(22)00942-6/fulltext