Abstract
Introduction and hypothesis
The purpose of this study is to examine the inter-observer reliability of the pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) system in left lateral position.
Methods
Women attending urogynaecology outpatient clinics were examined in the left lateral position using a digital examination and POP-Q. This was repeated separately by a second blinded clinician. The inter-observer agreement was calculated using the Cohen’s kappa coefficient. The POP-Q examination was then performed with a woman lying in dorsal lithotomy position. The POP-Q findings in the two positions were compared.
Results
Two hundred and eighteen women were recruited. The digital examination had a moderate inter-observer reliability with a kappa value of 0.54. The POP-Q showed a high degree of reliability (0.88). There was a high degree of correlation between the POP-Q findings in left lateral and lithotomy position (rho > 0.95, p < 0.001).
Conclusion
The POP-Q in the left lateral position is reliable, easy to perform, acceptable for patients, and is not a time-consuming examination.
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Conflicts of interest
The authors declare the following for research, consultancy, and/or advisory work. Linda Cardozo: Astellas, Lilly, UCB, Pharma, Pfizer, Gynecare, Plethora, Cook, Organon, and Bioxell; Vik Khullar: Astellas, Lilly, Allergan, Pfizer, Gynecare, Cook, and Bioxell; G.A. Digesu: Astellas and Bioxell; Stavros Athanasiou: Astellas, Pfizer, and Gynecare; Simon Hill: Pfizer, Astellas, Ardana, and UCB Pharma.
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Digesu, G.A., Athanasiou, S., Cardozo, L. et al. Validation of the pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) system in left lateral position. Int Urogynecol J 20, 979–983 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-009-0884-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-009-0884-z