Validated questionnaires for the assessment of Italian patients with pelvic floor dysfunctions: a systematic review.

Abstract

Background: Pelvic floor dysfunctions (PFDs) have a complex, multifactorial pathophysiology that impacts women's health and must be identified to provide the most appropriate care and treatment. Therefore, symptom and quality of life (QoL) questionnaires, briefly identified as patient-reported outcomes (PROs), have been developed. Despite the large number of questionnaires available for the assessment of PFDs and QoL-related issues in English, few of them have been validated for the Italian language.

Objectives: The aim of this article is to systematically review the literature on Italian-language validated PROs for PFDs assessment, along with practical information on literature references and suggestions on how to obtain each individual questionnaire.

Methods: A systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement was performed up to 1 March 2024. PubMed/MEDLINE databases and websites were used to identify validated questionnaires in Italian language for PFDs. Once identified, the possibility of obtaining a copy of the questionnaire was checked, and the steps to obtain one are given in the text.

Outcome: Thirty-five Italian-validated questionnaires were included: 17 out of 35 (48.6%) questionnaires focused on Lower urinary tract symptoms, 1 (2.8%) on genital prolapse symptoms, 8 (22.8%) on sexuality, 3 (8.6%) on bowel symptoms and 6 (17.2%) on pelvic dysfunctions. The literature search turned up seven more Italian PRO validation papers than the previous review. Specifically, the newly validated PROs include: Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12), Sexual Desire and Erotic Fantasies (SDEF) Questionnaire, Sexual Inhibition/Sexual Excitation Scales (SIS/SES), 12-Item Sexual Distress Scale (SDS) and 5-Item Sexual Distress Scale-Short Form (SDS-SF), Vaizey and Wexner and fecal incontinence severity index (FISI) questionnaires, Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) questionnaire, Intermittent Catheterization Acceptance Test (I-CAT).

Conclusions and outlook: This systematic review is intended to be a tool to promote the adoption of appropriate PROs when studying PFDs in Italian patients.