ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Obstetrics and Gynecology 2022 April;74(2):155-60

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-606X.21.04766-3

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Clinical and urodynamic predictors of Q-tip test urethral hypermobility

Gloria D’ALESSANDRO ¹ ✉, Stefania PALMIERI ², Alice COLA ², Marta BARBA ², Stefano MANODORO ³, Matteo FRIGERIO ²

¹ Academic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Martino University Hospital, Genoa, Italy; ² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Monza-Brianza, Italy; ³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Milan, Italy

BACKGROUND: Urodynamics and Q-tip test represent diagnostic tools for the assessment of stress urinary incontinence. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possibility to predict the Q-tip test urethral hypermobility on the basis of clinical and urodynamic parameters.
METHODS: We analyzed all women performed urodynamics between 2008 and 2016 presenting urodynamic stress urinary incontinence. Symptoms were collected by the Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form Questionnaire.
RESULTS: A total of 501 women presented urodynamic stress incontinence, of which 270 had urethral hypermobility, according to the Q-tip test. Patients with urethral hypermobility were younger (P<0.0001) and presented a more advanced anterior compartment descensus according to the POP-Q system (Aa point P=0.0155; Ba point P=0.0374), a higher detrusor pressure at maximum flow (P=0.0075) and maximum flow rate compared to controls.
CONCLUSIONS: Age, Aa POP-Q point and detrusor pressure at maximum flow were found to be independent predictors of Q-tip test urethral hypermobility. However, the final model cannot be used as an effective predictor of the Q-tip test result.

KEY WORDS: Urinary incontinence, stress; Urethra; Urodynamics