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. 2022 Mar;41(3):696-709.
doi: 10.1002/nau.24878. Epub 2022 Feb 3.

Pad test for urinary incontinence diagnosis in adults: Systematic review of diagnostic test accuracy

Camilla Medeiros Araujo  1 , Nívea Rosa de Morais  1 , Cinara Sacomori  2 , Diego de Sousa Dantas  1
Affiliations

Pad test for urinary incontinence diagnosis in adults: Systematic review of diagnostic test accuracy

Camilla Medeiros Araujo et al. Neurourol Urodyn. 2022 Mar.

Abstract

Introduction: The pad test is an assessment tool for urinary incontinence (UI) severity classification and therapeutic response monitoring. However, the reliability and reproducibility of this test have been questioned.

Objectives: To summarize the evidence regarding the accuracy measures and reproducibility of different pad test protocols for assessing UI.

Methods: A systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy of this tool was performed (CRD42020219392).

Eligibility criteria: Studies reporting data on the accuracy measures and reproducibility of the pad test when used for detecting UI in adult men and women.

Data sources: MEDLINE, Science Direct, Cochrane, Web of Science, LILACS, and Pedro.

Data extraction and synthesis: Two reviewers independently screened the articles, extracted the data, and evaluated the risk of bias (RoB) using the QUADAS-2 tool.

Results: From 1048 studies, 18 studies were included. Eight of these reported accuracy data, and 12 reported reproducibility properties. A total of 1070 individuals were analyzed, whose mean age ranged from 20 to 90 years. The accuracy of the long-duration protocols was generally moderate to high (sensitivity, 60%-93%; specificity, 60%-84%). The 1-h protocols obtained higher accuracy values. The overall reproducibility was moderate to high (κ ≥ 0.66).

Limitations: The RoB was high and, due to different cutoff points adopted by studies, the bivariate model was not satisfied to perform a meta-analysis.

Discussion: The 1-h pad test was more accurate but less reproducible when compared to the long-duration tests. Pad test results should be used with caution in clinical practice.

Keywords: data accuracy; exposure; measures of association; reproducibility of results; risk or outcome; severity of illness index.

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References

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