Disruptive effects of overactive bladder and urge urinary incontinence in younger women

Comparison of lumbopelvic stability, low back pain and well-being of women who have overactive bladder syndrome to asymptomatic controls: cut-off points

AIMS

Overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome has been associated with core muscles weakness, which is important in aetiology of low back pain (LBP) and affects general well-being. This study aimed to compare the lumbopelvic stability, LBP and well-being of women with OAB to asymptomatic controls and to determine the cut-off points.

METHODS

Women with (OAB group, n = 36) and without OAB syndrome (control group, n = 36) were included. The lumbopelvic stability with the Sahrmann and McGill trunk muscle endurance tests, LBP intensity with the Visual Analogue Scale were assessed. As for general well-being, sleep quality with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), fatigue severity with the Fatigue Severity Index (FSI), anxiety and depression levels with the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS-A, HADS-D) were evaluated.

RESULTS

In the OAB group compared to the control group, the lumbopelvic stability scores were lower (p < 0.001) while LBP prevalence (p < 0.001), pain intensity (p = 0.020), and PSQI, FSI, HADS-A, and HADS-D scores (p < 0.001) were higher. The cut-off points for trunk extension, flexion, right and left lateral flexion endurance tests and Sahrmann test were ≤9.42 sec, ≤8.62 sec, ≤19.26 sec, ≤5.16 sec, and ≤2 level, respectively. The cut-off points for PSQI, FSI, HADS-D, HADS-A were >5, >5.22, >6 and >6 scores, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with OAB syndrome had lower lumbopelvic stability, higher LBP prevalence and intensity, lower sleep quality, and more fatigue, anxiety, and depression levels compared to asymptomatic women. The cut-off values were detected between the occurrence of OAB and lumbopelvic stability and general well-being parameters.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Device Guided, Slow-Paced Respiration in Women with Overactive Bladder Syndrome

PURPOSE

We evaluated the effects of device guided, slow-paced respiration on urgency associated urinary symptoms, perceived stress and anxiety, and autonomic function in women with overactive bladder syndrome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a randomized, parallel group trial of slow-paced respiration to improve perceived stress and autonomic dysfunction as potential contributors to overactive bladder. Ambulatory women who reported at least 3 voiding or incontinence episodes per day associated with moderate to severe urgency were randomized to use a portable biofeedback device to practice daily, slow, guided breathing exercises or a control device which appeared identical and was reprogrammed to play music without guiding breathing. During 12 weeks we evaluated changes in urinary symptoms by voiding diaries, perceived stress and anxiety by validated questionnaires, and autonomic function by heart rate variability and impedance cardiography.

RESULTS

In the 161 randomized participants, including 79 randomized to paced respiration and 82 randomized to the control group, the average ± SD baseline frequency of voiding or incontinence associated with moderate to severe urgency was 6.9 ± 3.4 episodes per day. Compared to controls the participants randomized to paced respiration demonstrated greater improvement in perceived stress (average Perceived Stress Scale score decrease 2.8 vs 1.1, p=0.03) but not in autonomic function markers. During 12 weeks the average frequency of voiding or incontinence associated with moderate to severe urgency, which was the study primary outcome, decreased by a mean of 0.9 ± 3.2 episodes per day but no significant between group difference was detected.

CONCLUSIONS

Among women with overactive bladder slow-paced respiration was associated with a modest improvement in perceived stress during 12 weeks. However, it was not superior to a music listening control for reducing urinary symptoms or changing autonomic function.

Socioeconomic status and health-related quality of life among adults and older with overactive bladder

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of socioeconomic status (SES) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among persons with overactive bladder (OAB).

DESIGN

A randomized HRQoL study was conducted from the year 2014 until the year 2016 based on the OAB pathology department of the regional clinical diagnostics center.

SETTING

The medical institutions where the study was conducted had outpatient care.

PARTICIPANTS

The simple response frequency was 81%. A total of 1893 men and women with OAB aged 35-85 (average 58.3 years) were selected by blind random sampling. Included into the group of examined individuals were persons who diagnosis provided after the examination was OAB.

INTERVENTION

Evaluation of HRQoL was conducted using the SF-6D questionnaire. The OAB diagnosis was confirmed using the OAB-questionnaire and uroflowmetry.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

We hypothesized that the impact of SES on the HRQoL of patients with OAB has significant features.

RESULTS

Described for the first time were HRQoL measures in various SES levels within different ages of people suffering from OAB. The strongest relationship was identified between education level, professional activity and HRQoL measures; meanwhile the weakest relationship was between income and HRQoL measures. We also confirmed the efficiency of evaluating HRQoL while using SF-6D and SRH as an external standard.

CONCLUSION

The improvement of HRQoL in persons with OAB is contingent upon increment in their level of awareness about the methods of OAB treatment and the effectiveness of treatment for severe symptoms of LUT pathology, increased social support and, possibly, physical activity.

Pelvic floor muscle training for overactive bladder symptoms - A prospective study

INTRODUCTION

Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) involves the contraction of the puborectal, anal sphincter and external urethral muscles, inhibiting the detrusor contraction, what justify its use in the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms.

OBJECTIVE

To verify the effects of isolated PFMT on the symptoms of OAB.

METHOD

Prospective clinical trial with 27 women with mixed urinary incontinence (MUI), with predominance of OAB symptoms and loss ≥ 2 g in the pad test. It was evaluated: pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) function (digital palpation and manometry); urinary symptoms (nocturia, frequency and urinary loss); degree of discomfort of OAB symptoms; and quality of life (Incontinence Quality-of-Life Questionnaire [I-QoL]). The PFMT program consisted of 24 outpatient sessions (2x/week + home PFMT). The Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests (with a significance level of 5%) were used to analyse the data.

RESULTS

There was a significant improvement of the urinary symptoms to the pad test (5.8±9.7, p<0.001), urinary loss (0.7±1.1, p=0.005) and nocturia (0.8±0.9, p=0.011). Reduction in the degree of discomfort of urinary symptoms was observed according to OAB-V8 questionnaire (10.0±7.7, p=0.001). There were also significant results in PFMs function: Oxford (3.6±0.9, p=0.001), endurance (5.2±1.8, p<0.001), fast (8.9±1.5, p<0.001) and manometry (26.6±15.8, p=0.003). In addition, quality of life had a significant improvement in the three domains evaluated by I-QoL.

CONCLUSION

The PFMT without any additional guidelines improves the symptomatology, the function of PFMs and the quality of life of women with OAB symptoms.

Six Out of Ten Women with Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections Complain of Distressful Sexual Dysfunction - A Case-Control Study

Uncomplicated recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs) are common among reproductive-aged women. We aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of sexual dysfunction (FSD) in a cohort of women with rUTIs and compare their psychometric scores to those of matched controls. Data from 147 rUTIs women and 150 healthy controls were analysed. Participants completed the International Prostatic Symptoms Score (IPSS), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Female Sexual Distress Scale (SDS). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models tested prevalence and predictors of distressful FSD. Women with rUTIs had lower FSFI scores (p < 0.001) and a greater proportion of pathological FSFI (78.9% vs. 21.4%; p < 0.001) and SDS scores (77.8% vs. 21.4%; p < 0.001) than controls. Of rUTIs patients, 88 (60%), 77 (52.2%), and 75 (51.1%) reported pathological scores for FSFI-pain, lubrication and arousal, respectively; moreover, 64% had concomitant pathological FSFI and SDS scores. Age, IPSS severity, rUTIs, a history of ≥6 UTIs/year and a history of constipation were independent predictors of pathologic FSFI and SDS (all p ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, up to 80% of women with rUTIs showed pathologic FSFI and SDS scores, with 60% reporting scores suggestive of distressful FSD. Having ≥6 UTIs/year and a history of constipation independently predicted distressful FSD.

Impact of urinary incontinence on female sexual health in women during midlife

Sexual health is important to the self worth, emotional well being, and overall quality of life of women in midlife. However, urinary incontinence, which is prevalent in this population, has a negative impact on sexual function. The purpose of this article is to review the impact of urinary incontinence on female sexual dysfunction and discuss the impact of urinary incontinence treatment on sexual function. We carried out a literature review on the effect of stress urinary incontinence and urgency urinary incontinence on sexual health and physiological response, including coital incontinence, satisfaction, desire, orgasm, frequency, and partner relationships. We examined the literature regarding changes in sexual function related to non-surgical and surgical interventions for incontinence. Overall, though studies are lacking and of poor quality, treatment of incontinence has been shown to improve sexual function. Both pelvic muscle training and midurethral slings have been shown to improve sexual function in those with stress urinary incontinence. In urgency urinary incontinence, evidence indicates improvement in sexual function after treatment with anti-muscarinic medications. Coital incontinence commonly improves with treatment of the underlying incontinence subtype. Although problems related to sexual health are complex and involve both psychological and physical factors, it is important to consider treatment of urinary incontinence as part of management of sexual dysfunction.

Direct and indirect cost of urge urinary incontinence with and without pharmacotherapy

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of treating urge urinary incontinence (UUI), including mixed urinary incontinence (MUI), on healthcare resource utilisation, productivity, activity impairment and associated costs.

METHODS

The study used data from the 2011 U.S. National Health and Wellness Survey, an Internet-based questionnaire of a nationwide sample of adults. UUI or MUI respondents were identified via three Incontinence Questions. Respondents with stress urinary incontinence only, prostate cancer or (medication for) benign prostatic hyperplasia were excluded. UUI/MUI respondents were categorised as Rx users for overactive bladder (OAB) and non-Rx users (who never used Rx and whose condition reportedly interfered with life activities or was difficult to manage). Outcome measures included healthcare utilisation and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire-based scores. Direct and indirect costs were estimated using 2010 labour and 2008 medical expenditure data sources. Generalised linear models predicted resource use and productivity as a function of treatment status, adjusting for covariates (e.g. sociodemographics, OAB severity, comorbid status) that may also predict impairment.

RESULTS

Rx (vs. non-Rx) users were more likely to be female (80.7% vs. 70.0%), older (mean = 62.7 vs. 53.1) and reporting more moderate-to-severe OAB (70.9% vs. 52.6%; all p < 0.05). Adjusting for covariates, Rx (vs. non-Rx) users had significantly lower activity impairment (41.1% vs. 46.8%), more provider visits (7.42 vs. 5.60) and costs ($18,175 vs. $13,679), and higher total direct costs ($27,291 vs. $21,493), all p < 0.01.

CONCLUSIONS

Urge urinary incontinence patients using, vs. never using, prescription medication reported lower activity impairment but higher direct costs. These findings may inform the degree to which UUI pharmacotherapy affects health outcomes.

Symptom Bother, Physical and Mental Stress, and Health-related Quality of Life in Women with Overactive Bladder Syndrome

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to identify the relationships among symptom bother, physical and mental stress and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in women with overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome.

METHODS

The participants were 106 women who were diagnosed with OAB (urgency, urge urinary incontinence, frequency, and/or nocturia) at P university hospital. Data were collected from Dec 23, 2011 to Aug 31, 2012.

RESULTS

The mean score for symptom bother was 43.1 points, for physical stress, 12.8 which was slightly higher than mental stress (11.8), and for HRQoL, 63.9. For symptom type, there were statistically significant differences in the symptom bother (F=8.67, p<.001) and HRQL (F=3.32, p= .023). The Symptom bother of OAB was positively correlated with physical stress (r=.23, p= .014) and mental stress (r=.33, p<.001) and negatively correlated with the subscales of HRQoL; coping (r=-.66, p<.001), concern (r=-.71, p<.001), sleep (r=-.59, p<.001), and social interaction (r=-.58, p<.001).

CONCLUSION

From the results, bother symptom was associated with physical, mental stress and HRQoL. These results suggest that nursing intervention programs for OAB should be developed not only to relieve the symptoms but also to reduce stress and improve the quality of life.

Once-daily trospium chloride 60 mg extended release in subjects with overactive bladder syndrome who use multiple concomitant medications: Post hoc analysis of pooled data from two randomized, placebo-controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) is associated with various co-morbidities; treatment of these frequently results in multiple medication use (MMU) and the potential for drug-drug interactions, which may lead to adverse events and altered efficacy. With the aging population, the prevalence of MMU is likely to increase in the overall population, an increase due in part to treatment of co-morbidities that are more common in the elderly.

OBJECTIVE

To assess safety and efficacy outcomes with once-daily trospium chloride 60 mg extended release (XR) in subjects with OAB who were taking multiple concomitant medications.

STUDY DESIGN

Post hoc analysis of pooled data from two 12-week randomized, placebo-controlled studies.

SETTING

Urology, urogynaecology, and primary care offices/clinics.

PATIENTS

Subjects aged ≥18 years with OAB for ≥6 months who had baseline urinary frequency of ≥30 toilet voids/3 days; ≥1 'severe' urgency severity rating/3 days (on the Indevus Urgency Severity Scale); and pure urge urinary incontinence (UUI) or mixed incontinence with predominant UUI, with ≥3 UUI episodes/3 days. This analysis utilized data from subjects taking concomitant medications, focusing on those taking seven or more.

INTERVENTION

Once-daily trospium chloride 60 mg XR or placebo.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Predictors of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Concomitant medications were being taken by 1135 subjects (placebo, n = 576; trospium chloride XR, n = 559); 427 were taking seven or more (placebo, n = 199; trospium XR, n = 228). Among subjects taking seven or more concomitant medications, there was no significant difference between trospium chloride XR and placebo in the proportion of subjects experiencing one or more TEAEs (64.5% vs 58.3%). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds of experiencing a TEAE were influenced by concomitant medication use, but not by randomization assignment to trospium chloride XR or to placebo, suggesting that concomitant drugs contribute more to TEAEs than trospium chloride XR. Compared with subjects taking one to two concomitant medications, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for experiencing any TEAE was 3.39 (95% CI 2.39, 4.80; p < 0.0001) for subjects taking seven or more concomitant medications. The adjusted OR for experiencing any TEAE for subjects randomized to active treatment compared with placebo was 1.19 (95% CI 0.85, 1.67; p = 0.31). Efficacy in subjects taking seven or more concomitant medications was similar to that in the overall pooled study population.

CONCLUSIONS

Trospium chloride XR does not increase the likelihood of a TEAE compared with placebo. The probability of experiencing a TEAE was significantly influenced by use of multiple concomitant medications. Trospium chloride XR was as effective in subjects with OAB taking seven or more concomitant medications as in the overall pooled study population. The data support the conclusion that trospium chloride XR is safe and effective in patients with OAB taking multiple concomitant medications.

Effect of clean intermittent self-catheterization on quality of life: a qualitative study

AIM

This paper is a report of a study to describe the experience of people carrying out clean intermittent self-catheterization and the impact on their quality of life.

BACKGROUND

Clean intermittent self-catheterization is a recommended treatment for people experiencing urinary voiding difficulties. The majority of the literature to date has focused on biomedical issues such as complication rates and use of different catheters.

METHOD

A qualitative approach was used based on grounded theory. Fifteen users (eight men and seven women) of intermittent self-catheterization took part in semi-structured interviews during 2006. Ages ranged from 33 to 81 years (median 65 years). Reasons for self-catheterization included multiple sclerosis, urethral stricture and high residual volumes. Thematic analysis was used to develop hypotheses about the causes and consequences of the core category 'quality of life'.

FINDINGS

The core category consisted of two subcategories of positive and negative impacts. Positive impacts were related to improvement in lower urinary tract symptoms, whereas the negative impacts resulted from the practical difficulties encountered, and the psychological and cultural context of worry and stigma. The factors influencing variations in quality of life impacts were sex, lifestyle, frequency and duration of carrying out self-catheterization, technical difficulties, type of catheter, co-morbidities and individual predispositions.

CONCLUSION

The model has the potential to help professionals to identify the factors likely to influence response to clean intermittent self-catheterization, and could be used as a tool to help identify those who may have difficulty complying with the treatment or to aid advice-giving on situations that may cause difficulties.