Validity and reliability of the arabic version of the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index

introduction: In order to accurately assess the extent of chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) and to objectively measure symptoms for natural history studies and to assess the outcome parameters for clinical trials, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Chronic Prostatitis Collaborative Research Network developed and validated the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI). The aim of the current study was to develop and validate a fluent and comprehensive Arabic version of the NIH-CPSI. Methods: This study consisted of 80 consecutive male patients affected by CPPS and 80 healthy controls who were asked to complete the Arabic version of the NIH-CPSI. The translation was performed by a group consisting of an andrologist and professional translators. Psychometric data were collected. Results: Of the 160 subjects enrolled, 82 (50 patients and 32 controls) completed the study. The total Arabic NIH-CPSI scores and the scores of each subscale differed significantly between the two groups with good discriminant validity. The questionnaire had also a high internal consistency. Conclusion: The present study provides the Arabic version of the NIH-CPSI and recognizes it as a valid and reliable tool in the assessment of local patients with CPPS. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel