CORRELATION BETWEEN VISUAL PROSTATE SYMPTOM SCORE & INTERNATIONAL PROSTATE SYMPTOM SCORE IN EVALUATION OF MEN WITH BPH: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY FROM AN NORTH EAST INDIAN POPULATION

Abstract

Introduction: The international prostate symptom score (IPSS) is widely used to assess the severity of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), but is very complicated & difficult to comprehend. Visual Prostate Symptom Score (VPSS) was introduced to overcome the drawbacks of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Materials & Methods: This was a prospectively designed study conducted at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal. A total of 200 patients who presented to the urology outpatient department with LUTS due to BPH were enrolled in the study. All patients were given both questionnaires. The correlation test was used to assess the correlation between two symptom scores and various parameters. Observations with a P value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Of 200 patients, 61% of them were above the age of 60 years; mean ± standard deviation age was 62.72 ± 9.11 (range 48– 84 years). Total time taken to complete IPSS & VPSS were 589.30 ± 190.74 sec & 175.35± 62.59 sec respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of patients requiring assistance to fill the questionnaires according to their education level. There was a positive correlation between IPSS total score and VPSS total score (r = 0.54; P < 0.001), IPSS Qol versus VPSS Qol (r = 0.53; P < 0.001). A negative correlation was observed between total VPSS and Qmax (r= -0.719; P < 0.001), total IPSS and Qmax (r= -0.654; P < 0.001). All VPSS questions showed statistically significant correlation with the corresponding IPSS questions. Conclusion: VPSS can be used as a better alternative to IPSS which is easier, more compliant, takes lesser time and even can be understood by a less educated person.