Diagnostic value of structured anamnesis for phenotype identification in chronic pelvic pain syndrome: A practice-oriented retrospective study

ObjectiveTo assess whether chronic pelvic pain presents specific qualitative traits, as described by patients, that can guide identification of its underlying clinical phenotype.Materials and methodsA retrospective study including 157 patients (81 men, 76 women), interviewed systematically by a single evaluator using a structured 10-item table aimed at identifying three possible phenotypes. The correlation between the predicted phenotype (based solely on anamnesis) and the final phenotype (established through physical examination, treatment response, and clinical evolution) was analyzed. Sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated by phenotype and sex. The diagnostic relevance of each question was assessed, and statistical significance was tested using the Chi-square test.ResultsIn women, the proportion of predicted phenotypes confirmed as final was: 64.5% bladder, 19.7% myofascial, 30.2% neuropathic. In men: 8.6% bladder, 81.5% myofascial, 23.5% neuropathic. Women-bladder: Se 0.92, Sp 0.74, PPV 0.90, NPV 0.72, AUC 0.82. Myofascial: Se 0.44, Sp 0.93, PPV 0.79, NPV 0.75, AUC 0.76. Neuropathic: Se 0.36, Sp 0.98, PPV 0.89, NPV 0.79, AUC 0.51. Men-bladder: Se 0.57, Sp 0.83, PPV 0.21, NPV 0.96, AUC 0.81. Myofascial: Se 0.75, Sp 0.75, PPV 0.93, NPV 0.41, AUC 0.75. Neuropathic: Se 0.29, Sp 1.00, PPV 1.00, NPV 0.80, AUC 0.64.ConclusionsA structured anamnesis may help identify the clinical phenotype underlying chronic pelvic pain (bladder, myofascial, or neuropathic).