Specificity of the American Urological Association voiding symptom index: comparison of unselected and selected samples of both sexes.

The American Urological Association voiding symptom index questionnaire for benign prostatic hypertrophy was administered to an elderly unselected sample and a selected urology clinic sample of both sexes to investigate the ability of this instrument to identify prostatic pathological conditions. The female subjects in these cohorts provided a control. In the large unselected sample the male subjects scored statistically higher in only 2 categories, weak stream (487 subjects) and strain (507) (p < 0.05 for both categories). The clinical significance of these scores is questionable, however, since they were low (less than 2 of 5). In the selected group (145 subjects) the female subjects showed a higher total mean score due to the contribution of statistically higher irritative scores (p < 0.05). We conclude that the American Urological Association voiding symptom index does not specifically identify prostatic pathological conditions, and that elderly men and women have similar voiding symptom scores. Therefore, treatment that results in improvement in symptom scores may not specifically affect the prostate. Other factors, such as an aging detrusor, changes in physiological production of urine or other unknown factors, may contribute to the symptoms.