Examination of the relationship between post-voiding residual urine volume and voiding symptoms in postmenopausal women

Objective: The primary aim of the study was to examine the relationship between post-void residual urine volume, voiding symptoms, and voiding test data in postmenopausal women who applied to the gynecology clinic and did not describe urinary incontinence and/or palpable organ prolapse in the medical history and were not detected during the examination. The secondary aim was to compare post-void residual urine volume, voiding symptoms, and voiding test data in postmenopausal women with and without voiding problems other than urinary incontinence and to examine whether there was a relationship. Materials and Methods: A total of 70 patients who applied to the Gynecology and Urogynecology outpatient clinics of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University between 2022-2024 and met the criteria for admission to the study were included. Demographic data, post-void residual urine volumes, uroflowmeter data, and questionnaire scores of all patients were recorded. SPSS program was used for statistical analysis. Results: The mean age of the 70 patients who met the inclusion criteria of the study was determined as 55.5 ± 4.1. The mean King Health Questionnaire score results of the group consisting of patients who answered 'none' to the Incontinence Impact subheading were found to be statistically significantly lower than the mean score results of the group consisting of patients who answered 'little-moderate'. No statistically significant difference was found in any parameter in the comparative analysis of voiding test results and post-voiding residual urine volumes between the groups. No statistical significance was observed in the correlation analysis of the mean post-voiding residual urine volume and the questionnaire form scores in both Group X and Group Y (p>0.05). Conclusion: In the absence of urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, which are the two main symptoms in the postmenopausal period, it was observed that the measurement of post-voiding residual urine volume was not related to voiding symptoms and quality of life. No relationship was found between the amount of residual urine after voiding and voiding symptoms and quality of life, neither in the patient group who described no urinary symptoms nor in the patient group who described mild to moderate non-incontinence urinary symptoms.