OBJECTIVE: To define the normality of voiding behavior in women. METHOD: We evaluated 161 women of all ages, consulting in general practice for problems other than voiding disorders. Women were tested with the International Prostatic Symptom Score (I-PSS), originally defined to evaluate patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, in view of the nonprostatic specificity of each of its component questions, and its easy use. RESULTS: The normal replies to each question are less than 1 for questions concerning obstructive symptoms, i.e. each of the obstructive symptoms investigated was never or only rarely (less than 1 in 5 voidings) present, while the normal replies to the questions concerning irritative symptoms were between 1 and 2, i.e. these symptoms, frequency and urgency, are commonly observed by the great majority of women, provided they occur less than once every two voidings. Nocturia is a normal finding provided it occurs less than or equal to 2 per night. Quality of life was strongly correlated with obstructive and irritative symptoms, and the most troublesome voiding disorder was urgency. Those characteristics remain remarkably stable with age. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate irritative symptoms are a normal component of the voiding behavior in women.
OBJECTIVE: To define the normality of voiding behavior in women. METHOD: We evaluated 161 women of all ages, consulting in general practice for problems other than voiding disorders. Women were tested with the International Prostatic Symptom Score (I-PSS), originally defined to evaluate patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, in view of the nonprostatic specificity of each of its component questions, and its easy use. RESULTS: The normal replies to each question are less than 1 for questions concerning obstructive symptoms, i.e. each of the obstructive symptoms investigated was never or only rarely (less than 1 in 5 voidings) present, while the normal replies to the questions concerning irritative symptoms were between 1 and 2, i.e. these symptoms, frequency and urgency, are commonly observed by the great majority of women, provided they occur less than once every two voidings. Nocturia is a normal finding provided it occurs less than or equal to 2 per night. Quality of life was strongly correlated with obstructive and irritative symptoms, and the most troublesome voiding disorder was urgency. Those characteristics remain remarkably stable with age. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate irritative symptoms are a normal component of the voiding behavior in women.