Use of the Pelvic Organ Quantification System (POP-Q) in published articles of peer-reviewed journals

Introduction and hypothesis: The Pelvic Organ Quantification (POP-Q) system is a standardized technique used for staging POP. This study aimed to examine POP-Q use in peer-reviewed publications. Methods: Nine journals representative of urogynecology were reviewed for articles describing POP staging from January to December 2012 and 2015. Review articles, editorials, letters and articles with or without retractions in manuscript form were excluded. The primary outcome was frequency of POP-Q use. Secondary outcomes were POP-Q use by journal specialty, specialty of primary author, country of origin, and an anatomic definition of failure. Data were evaluated using chi-square tests. Results yielding p < 0.05 were deemed statistically significant. Results: Two hundred and nineteen articles were reviewed. POP-Q was used in 88.4% in 2012 and 80% in 2015(not significant; p = 0.296). Urologists used the POP-Q least frequently, although its use was greater in 2015 (63.6%) than in 2012 (50%). In 2012, a definition for anatomic failure was present in 27% of articles; 23% of authors in the 2012 time frame reported using the POP-Q, and 17.8% used a specific POP-Q point. Between 2012 and 2015, the use of a specific point significantly decreased (17.8 vs. 7.8%, p = 0.033). Conclusion: POP-Q is the most common staging system used in published articles across studied subgroups. When used as an outcome measure, a greater number of authors use the recommended staging system rather than specific points.