The Prolapse Quality-of-life Questionnaire as a Substitute for Assessing Voiding and Storage Conditions in Patients Undergoing Transvaginal Mesh Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: The Prolapse Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (P-QOL) is a validated tool for assessing symptom severity and treatment outcomes in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). This study investigates whether the total score of selected P-QOL component questions can serve as a substitute for the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) plus quality-of-life (QOL) score in patients with POP undergoing transvaginal mesh (TVM) surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study enrolled 137 patients who underwent TVM at our institution between May 2016 and November 2023. Correlations between the total score of selected P-QOL component questions and the IPSS or QOL score were assessed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare P-QOL scores between IPSS ≥8 and ≤7 groups and QOL ≥4 and ≤3 groups at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Significant correlations were observed between the total score of selected P-QOL component questions and the IPSS or QOL score, both preoperatively and postoperatively. Box plot analyses showed significant differences in P-QOL scores between the IPSS ≥8 and ≤7 groups and the QOL ≥4 and ≤3 groups at all time points. In addition, post-void residual urine volume, P-QOL scores, and IPSS plus QOL scores significantly decreased at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively compared with baseline. CONCLUSION: The P-QOL provides reliable information on voiding and storage conditions preoperatively and postoperatively, making it a viable alternative to the IPSS plus QOL score for evaluating urinary symptoms in patients with POP undergoing TVM.