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Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS)

One of the most commonly used assessment tools for men with lower urinary tract symptoms is the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS).  An alternative assessment tool is the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) which has been found to be reliable and valid and highly responsive to treatment related fluctuations in overactive bladder symptoms.  This tool is also recommended in women with OAB for evaluation after anticholinergic drug treatment. Repeating the test after an acceptable treatment interval is an effective way to assess the efficacy of a particular drug regimen on OAB symptoms.

The OABSS questionnaire was designed to quantify OAB symptoms as a single score, and contains questions that address four symptoms of overactive bladder:

  1. Daytime frequency,
  2. Nighttime frequency,
  3. Urgency,
  4. Urge incontinence.

 The OABSS has a maximum score of 15 with more weight assigned to urgency and urgency incontinence than on frequency.

Instructions

Please select the option that applies best to your urinary conditions during the last week.

1. How many times do you typically urinate from waking
in the morning until sleeping at night?

7 or less
8 to 14
15 or more
2. How many times do you typically wake up to urinate from sleeping at
night until waking in the morning
?

0
1
2
3 or more
3. How often do you have a sudden desire to urinate, which is difficult to defer?

Not at All
less than once a week
once a week or more
about once a day
2 to 4 times per day
5 times a day or more
4. How often do you leak urine, because you
cannot defer the sudden desire to urinate
?

Not at All
less than once a week
once a week or more
about once a day
2 to 4 times per day
5 times a day or more

References

Homma Y, Yoshida M, Seki N, et al: Symptom assessment tool for overactive bladder syndrome--overactive bladder symptom score. Urology 2006; 68:318-323.


Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS)

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