Patient-reported outcomes in overactive bladder: The influence of perception of condition and expectation for treatment benefit

Patient perceptions of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms, expectations for treatment benefit, and overall treatment satisfaction share complex relations. Multiple studies have demonstrated associations between factors, such as age, sex, and ethnicity, and patient perceptions of OAB symptoms, especially urgency urinary incontinence. Perceptions of OAB are also shaped by symptom severity and impact on health-related quality of life, as well as by perceptions of family members, caregivers, and clinicians. The literature further suggests discrepancies in the reporting among patients, physicians, and family members/caregivers of the impact that urinary symptoms have on patients' emotional well-being, productivity, and daily life. Understanding the factors that affect patients' perceptions is important because these perceptions affect treatment expectations, which may predict treatment outcomes. Studies designed to evaluate the relations between expectations for OAB treatment and patient satisfaction have not been performed to date, but studies in other patient populations suggest that expectations of positive outcomes are associated with greater treatment satisfaction. We emphasize that patient satisfaction with treatment is directly related to fulfillment of positive expectations, and that patient expectations should be realistic and agreed on by patient and physician. We also discuss strategies that may be used by physicians managing patients with OAB to develop stronger patient-physician partnerships, including the effective communication required to make treatment decisions and set realistic expectations.