INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Uroflowmetry is becoming a commonly performed study in the pediatric urologic patient. The study is commonly used in children with voiding complaints, to evaluate for dysfunctional voiding and meatal stenosis, and to assess treatment outcomes. However, the reproducibility of this study in children has not been documented. We sought to evaluate the reproducibility of uroflowmetry studies in children.

METHODS: We reviewed the uroflowmetry studies of the 200 girls labeled as having dysfunctional voiding and at least 2 uroflowmetry studies. The compared the following parameters from the study performed to make the diagnosis to the study performed at the first biofeedback session: Qmax, Qmean, as well as flow patterns. Patients were stratified according to the presence of at least 50% of expected bladder capacity (age + 2) at the time of the uroflowmetry study. ANOVA, chi-square, and correlation were performed to compare parameters (p<0.05 significant)

RESULTS: These 200 girls initial presenting complaints included UTIs, urinary frequency, and incontinence. The average age was 8.6 yrs + 0.4 and the time between studies was 1 month; these were not significantly different after stratification. (p=NS). Girls who had at least 50% of the estimated bladder capacity had no significant difference in inter-study Qmax or Qmean while those with less than 50% estimated bladder capacity did have significant differences (p<0.05) and this was reflected as well in their correlation coefficients (Qmax R= 0.83 vs. 0.59; Qmean R=0.83 vs. 0.59). There was also a significant difference between the inter-study % differences in the Qmax and the Qmean between the two groups. Finally, there was significant difference (p<0.05) in concordance of flow patterns between those with bladder volumes >50% (78.8%) and those with bladder volumes <50% (57.4%).

CONCLUSIONS: Uroflowmetry is a reliable and reproducible test in girls when performed with a bladder that has a volume of at least 50% of the estimated bladder capacity. Under these circumstances, there is excellent correlation in Qmax, Qmean, and flow patterns.

Source of Funding: None