What is a primary use of patient-reported outcome measures like ICIQ-UI in clinical practice?

• A. They quantify symptom burden and impact on quality of life.
• B. They diagnose cancer.
• C. They replace physical examination.
• D. They measure kidney function.

Answer: (A)

Patient-reported outcome measures like the ICIQ-UI are built to capture the patient’s own view of their symptoms and how these symptoms affect daily life. In clinical practice, their primary use is to quantify the burden of urinary symptoms and the impact on quality of life, providing a standardized, comparable way to track changes over time and to guide treatment decisions. The ICIQ-UI specifically asks about how often leakage occurs, how much leaks, and how bothersome the problem is, yielding scores that reflect the patient’s perspective on severity and its everyday consequences. This information complements objective tests but does not diagnose cancer, does not replace the physical examination, and does not measure kidney function. PROMs support monitoring response to therapy and inform shared decision-making with patients.