Validation of the Arabic linguistic version of the Overactive Bladder Symptoms Score questionnaire

Objective: To validate an Arabic version of the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) questionnaire.

Patients and methods: In all, 301 patients were evaluated using the Arabic-translated OABSS. They were divided into four groups: 112 patients with OAB symptoms, 115 healthy individuals with no OAB symptoms, 38 with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) associated with storage lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), and 36 with BOO without storage LUTS. The reliability of the Arabic version was evaluated for internal consistency using Cronbach’s α test. Interdomain associations were examined using Spearman’s correlation coefficient (r). The discrimination validity was evaluated using the Mann–Whitney test.

Results: Higher internal consistency was found for all OABSS domains in the OAB and BOO groups. There were strong correlations between all domains in the OAB group (P < 0.001). Similarly, there were strong correlations between all domains in the BOO group. For discrimination validity, scores were statistically significant higher for all OABSS domains and overall total scores in the OAB and BOO groups compared with their control groups (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The Arabic version of OABSS is a reliable and valid instrument that can be used to evaluate symptoms and health-related quality of life in Arabic patients with OAB.

Clinical trial no. (clinicaltrials.gov NCT03533062)

Abbreviations : BOO: bladder outlet obstruction; OAB: overactive bladder; OABSS: Overactive Bladder Symptom Score questionnaire; (U)UI: (urgency) urinary incontinence