OBJECTIVE: To determine if the American Urological Association (AUA) Symptom Index is an accurate and reliable instrument for use in assessing the outcome after urethroplasty. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The AUA Symptom Index questionnaire was answered by 33 men (mean age 31.3 years) who underwent end-to-end urethral reconstruction after complete urethral disruption; the index was completed at a mean of 6 months after surgery. The scores were then correlated with maximum flow rates (Qmax) and presence of re-stenosis on retrograde urethrography. RESULTS: The initial mean (SD) AUA score was 10.42 (9.6) and the Qmax 22.12 (9.37) mL/s. Of the 33 patients, six (18%) had re-stenosis, with a mean score of 30 and Qmax of 6 mL/s. There was a significant inverse correlation between the AUA symptom score and Qmax (r = - 0.401, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The AUA Symptom Index is inversely correlated with Qmax and may indicate the presence of re-stenosis after urethroplasty. The AUA score can thus be used as a cost-effective and easy method in the first-line screening of the outcome of urethroplasty.
OBJECTIVE: To determine if the American Urological Association (AUA) Symptom Index is an accurate and reliable instrument for use in assessing the outcome after urethroplasty. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The AUA Symptom Index questionnaire was answered by 33 men (mean age 31.3 years) who underwent end-to-end urethral reconstruction after complete urethral disruption; the index was completed at a mean of 6 months after surgery. The scores were then correlated with maximum flow rates (Qmax) and presence of re-stenosis on retrograde urethrography. RESULTS: The initial mean (SD) AUA score was 10.42 (9.6) and the Qmax 22.12 (9.37) mL/s. Of the 33 patients, six (18%) had re-stenosis, with a mean score of 30 and Qmax of 6 mL/s. There was a significant inverse correlation between the AUA symptom score and Qmax (r = - 0.401, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The AUA Symptom Index is inversely correlated with Qmax and may indicate the presence of re-stenosis after urethroplasty. The AUA score can thus be used as a cost-effective and easy method in the first-line screening of the outcome of urethroplasty.