Nighttime dosing with tolterodine reduces overactive bladder-related nocturnal micturitions in patients with overactive bladder and nocturia

Setting the clinical context to non-motor symptoms reflected by Park-pain, Park-sleep, and Park-autonomic subtypes of Parkinson's disease

Non-motor symptoms (NMS) of Parkinson's disease (PD) are well described in both clinical practice and the literature, enabling their management and enhancing our understanding of PD. NMS can dominate the clinical pictures and NMS subtypes have recently been proposed, initially based on clinical observations, and later confirmed in data driven analyses of large datasets and in biomarker-based studies. In this chapter, we provide an update on what is known about three common subtypes of NMS in PD. The pain (Park-pain), sleep dysfunction (Park-sleep), and autonomic dysfunction (Park-autonomic), providing an overview of their individual classification, clinical manifestation, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and potential treatments.

Oral anticholinergic drugs versus placebo or no treatment for managing overactive bladder syndrome in adults

BACKGROUND

Around 16% of adults have symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB; urgency with frequency and/or urge incontinence), with prevalence increasing with age. Anticholinergic drugs are commonly used to treat this condition. This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2002 and last updated in 2006.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of anticholinergic drugs compared with placebo or no treatment for treating overactive bladder syndrome in adults.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Incontinence Specialised Register, which contains trials identified from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, MEDLINE Epub Ahead of Print, ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP and handsearching of journals and conference proceedings (searched 14 January 2020), and the reference lists of relevant articles. We updated this search on 3 May 2022, but these results have not yet been fully incorporated.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised or quasi-randomised trials in adults with overactive bladder syndrome that compared an anticholinergic drug alone with placebo treatment.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed eligibility and extracted data from the included studies, including an assessment of the risk of bias. We assessed the certainty of the body of evidence using the GRADE approach. We processed data as described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 104 studies, 71 of which were new or updated for this version of the review. Although 12 studies did not report the number of participants, there were 47,106 people in the remainder of the included studies. The majority of the studies had insufficient information to allow judgement of risk of bias and we judged them to be unclear for all domains. Nine anticholinergic drugs were included in these studies: darifenacin; fesoterodine; imidafenacin; oxybutynin; propantheline; propiverine; solifenacin; tolterodine and trospium. No studies were found that compared anticholinergic drugs to no treatment. At the end of the treatment period, anticholinergics may slightly increase condition-specific quality of life (mean difference (MD) 4.41 lower, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.28 lower to 3.54 lower (scale range -100 to 0); 12 studies, 6804 participants; low-certainty evidence). Anticholinergics are probably better than placebo in terms of patient perception of cure or improvement (risk ratio (RR) 1.38, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.66; 9 studies, 8457 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), and the mean number of urgency episodes per 24-hour period (MD 0.85 lower, 95% CI 1.03 lower to 0.67 lower; 23 studies, 16,875 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Compared to placebo, anticholinergics may result in an increase in dry mouth adverse events (RR 3.50, 95% CI 3.26 to 3.75; 66 studies, 38,368 participants; low-certainty evidence), and may result in an increased risk of urinary retention (RR 3.52, 95% CI 2.04 to 6.08; 17 studies, 7862 participants; low-certainty evidence). Taking anticholinergics may be more likely to lead to participants withdrawing from the studies due to adverse events (RR 1.37, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.56; 61 studies, 36,943 participants; low-certainty evidence). However, taking anticholinergics probably reduces the mean number of micturitions per 24-hour period compared to placebo (MD 0.85 lower, 95% CI 0.98 lower to 0.73 lower; 30 studies, 19,395 participants; moderate-certainty evidence).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

The use of anticholinergic drugs by people with overactive bladder syndrome results in important but modest improvements in symptoms compared with placebo treatment. In addition, recent studies suggest that this is generally associated with only modest improvement in quality of life. Adverse effects were higher with all anticholinergics compared with placebo. Withdrawals due to adverse effects were also higher for all anticholinergics except tolterodine. It is not known whether any benefits of anticholinergics are sustained during long-term treatment or after treatment stops.

Urodynamic findings in female patients with nocturia: An age-matched case-control study

INTRODUCTION

Nocturia negatively impacts the quality of life and is associated with poor general health, but our understanding of its etiologies is incomplete. Urodynamic studies (UDS) findings in patients with nocturia are not well described and may help guide management. Our objective was to compare UDS findings with age-matched patients with and without nocturia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed UDS findings of 1124 patients (2010-2017). A total of 484 (43%) presented with nocturia and 821 (73%) were female. Female patients were separated into age-matched groups with and without nocturia. Urinary symptoms, past medical diagnoses, demographic information, and UDS findings were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 596 female patients were included, 298 (50%) with nocturia and 298 without. Past medical history, including diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease, did not differ between groups. Patients with nocturia were more likely to have pelvic pain (p = 0.0014) and other daytime symptoms (frequency, urgency, and urgency incontinence). On UDS, patients with nocturia were more likely to have bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) (p = 0.025) and dysfunctional voiding (DV) (p < 0.0001). There was no difference in the frequency of detrusor overactivity (DO). Bladder capacity and postvoid residual volumes were lower, though not significantly, in the nocturia group.

CONCLUSIONS

When comparing UDS findings in contemporary, age-matched groups of female patients with and without nocturia, we found only BOO and DV to be associated with nocturia. While the treatment of nocturia is often aimed at managing DO, our data suggest that this may not be the primary urodynamic correlation with nocturia. Further studies are needed to assess whether successful treatment of BOO and DV can improve nocturia.

Efficacy of tadalafil on symptom-specific bother in men with lower urinary tract symptoms

INTRODUCTION

This multicenter and prospective study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of tadalafil on patient-reported bother for each symptom in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

METHODS

Men with LUTS received 5 mg of tadalafil daily for 4 weeks. We assessed change in symptom severity using both international prostate symptom score (IPSS), and overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS), as well as patient-reported quality of life (QOL: bother or satisfaction) for each symptoms using IPSS-visual analog scale (IPSS-VAS) and OABSS-VAS.

RESULTS

We found significant improvements in total IPSS (P < 0.001), including voiding symptoms (P < 0.001), storage symptoms (P < 0.001), and QOL (P < 0.001). All VAS measures corresponding to symptoms in IPSS and OABSS also significantly improved (P < 0.001). The most bothersome symptoms for each patient at baseline evaluated by VAS measures significantly improved (P < 0.001). Patients whose most bothersome symptoms at baseline included IPSS-Q7 (nocturia) showed significantly smaller improvement of VAS measure after treatment than those without it (P = 0.024).

CONCLUSIONS

Daily tadalafil significantly improved not only symptom severity of LUTS but also patient-reported QOL on each symptom.

Pharmacotherapeutic options in the treatment of nocturia: update on current oral drug therapies

INTRODUCTION

Nocturia is a common urinary complaint among patients presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms and in recent years, there is a greater emphasis to tailor the treatment for nocturia in a more holistic and multidisciplinary manner given the potential multifactorial causes for nocturia.

AREAS COVERED

Current oral drug therapies can be classified into three main groups, namely, decreasing polyuria, targeting bladder capacity, and improving sleep-wake and circadian rhythm. The authors focus this article on these oral therapies and provide their expert opinion.

EXPERT OPINION

Treatment strategies should always involve lifestyle changes and behavioral modifications, with the targeted treatment of underlying medical conditions that may cause nocturia. Desmopressin remains the only drug approved specifically for the treatment of nocturia. Medications targeting the bladder and prostate can have secondary benefits in minimizing nocturnal frequency and urgency especially if the drug is taken at nighttime. Treatment of an underlying sleep disorder or circadian disorder can often help to increase total sleep time and quality, and perhaps reducing the nocturnal diuresis and nocturia episodes. Future studies in nocturia should improve the identification and diagnosis of underlying mechanisms that lead to nocturia, so treatment can become more streamlined, while at the same time, explore the role of various pharmacotherapeutic agents and novel therapy to reduce or eliminate nocturia.

Efficacy of mirabegron, a β3 -adrenoreceptor agonist, in Japanese women with overactive bladder and either urgency urinary incontinence or mixed urinary incontinence: Post-hoc analysis of pooled data from two randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies

Objective

To confirm if mirabegron 50 mg shows efficacy in women with overactive bladder and either urgency urinary incontinence or mixed urinary incontinence versus placebo.

Methods

Post‐hoc analyses were carried out using pooled data from a Japanese phase IIb and a phase III study. The primary efficacy end‐point was baseline to end‐of‐treatment change in the mean number of micturitions/24 h. The secondary end‐points were changes in the mean voided volume/micturition, mean number of urgency and incontinence episodes/24 h, and mean number of nocturia episodes/night. Other end‐points were quality of life and incontinence normalization rates.

Results

Women with urgency urinary incontinence (placebo n  = 204, mirabegron n = 214) and mixed urinary incontinence (placebo n = 122, mirabegron n = 139) were included. Change in mean micturitions/24 h at end‐of‐treatment for mirabegron was statistically significant versus placebo in both populations; the effect size increased over time. For all secondary end‐points, median changes for mirabegron were statistically significant versus placebo at end‐of‐treatment, except for nocturia for the urgency urinary incontinence population and urgency for the mixed urinary incontinence population. Mirabegron showed larger improvements versus placebo in all quality‐of‐life domains, except for general health perception in the urgency urinary incontinence population. Incontinence normalization rates for mirabegron were 47.2% and 49.6% in the urgency urinary incontinence and mixed urinary incontinence populations, respectively, versus 42.6% and 39.3% for placebo.

Conclusions

Mirabegron 50 mg significantly improved key overactive bladder symptoms versus placebo in women with urgency urinary incontinence, and it also improved most overactive bladder symptoms, including micturition frequency, in patients with mixed urinary incontinence. These findings support the benefits of using mirabegron in the female overactive bladder wet population.

Pharmacotherapy for female nocturia

Background: In 2018, nocturia and nocturnal lower urinary tract function definitions were updated in a clinically and practically based consensus report by the International Continence Society Standardization Steering Committee. Previous research has suggested that the pathophysiology of nocturia has a multifactorial etiology, including obstructive sleep apnea, overactive bladder syndrome, diabetes mellitus, sleep disturbance, congestive heart failure, primary polydipsia, and other factors.Current Concepts: Three main mechanisms have been identified: low functional bladder capacity, nocturnal polyuria, and diurnal polyuria (24-hour polyuria). Multifactorial pathophysiology implies multiple possible targets for therapeutic intervention, and suggests that it is unlikely that one treatment modality, including drugs, will be successful in all patients. The bladder diary is the most important diagnostic tool.Discussion and Conclusion: Strong evidence supports the efficacy of desmopressin and continuous positive pressure breathing. Antimuscarinic drugs for treating nocturia display limited usefulness because of their low efficacy for nocturnal polyuria. Management of nocturia may require a multidisciplinary approach to visualization and phenotyping of patients for diagnosis and therapy.

Pharmacologic management of nocturnal polyuria: a contemporary assessment of efficacy, safety, and progress toward individualized treatment

This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on the medical management of nocturnal polyuria, including antidiuretic replacement therapy as well as other emerging modalities, with particular emphasis on areas of active investigation and future research directions. Relative to earlier formulations, the pharmacological profiles of novel desmopressin acetate nasal spray and orally disintegrating tablet formulations appear favorable in optimizing the balance between efficacy and safety. Additionally, several highly selective small-molecule arginine vasopressin 2 receptor agonists are under active development, while appropriately timed short-acting diuretics, pharmacotherapy for hypertension, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and sex hormone replacement therapy are also a focal point of extensive ongoing nocturnal polyuria research. Emerging laboratory technologies now make feasible a sub-stratification of nocturnal polyuria patients into substrate-based phenotypes for individualized treatment. An increasingly refined understanding of the pathogenesis of nocturnal polyuria, and arginine vasopressin dysregulation in particular, has also introduced new opportunities for point-of-care testing in patients with nocturnal polyuria.

Managing Nocturia in Frail Older Adults

This review discusses the available evidence in the current evaluation and treatment of nocturia in frail older adults. No evidence specifically evaluates the use of behavioral interventions in the treatment of the frail older adult with nocturia, but their use is supported in other cohorts. Behavioral modifications and optimal management of comorbidities remain the first-line treatment for all age groups and should be emphasized in the frail due to their favorable safety profile. No studies specific to the frail older adult support the use of pharmacotherapy. Some evidence exists for the efficacy of several agents in the older adult; however, this is difficult to extrapolate to the frail, and safety concerns abound. Desmopressin may be effective in the older adult, but a high risk of hyponatremia raises concerns for its safety, and therefore it is not recommended in the frail. α-Antagonists may have limited efficacy in men with known benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); they are relatively well tolerated, although the risk of orthostatic hypotension in the frail should be considered. β3-agonist trials suggest limited clinical utility. Antimuscarinics are not found to be useful in this cohort and are contraindicated in the frail older adult given the ability of antimuscarinics to cause cognitive impairment, delirium, and falls. No data examine the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the frail older adult. Additionally, the American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria recommends against the use of muscarinics in those over the age of 75 years and therefore their use is not supported.

Assessment of the Most Impactful Combination of Factors Associated with Nocturia and to Define Nocturnal Polyuria by Multivariate Modelling

BACKGROUND

Nocturia is common and associated with multiple disease states. Many potential mechanisms have been proposed for nocturia, which also remains challenging to manage.

PURPOSE

To use multivariate analysis to determine which combinations of factors can accurately discriminate clinically significant nocturia in patients to facilitate clinical management and treatment decisions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data analysis was based on frequency volume charts from three randomized controlled trials. There were 1479 patients included, of which 215 patients had no/mild nocturia and 1264 had clinically significant nocturia with at least two voids per night. Factors studied that may influence nocturia were demographics, sleep duration, functional bladder capacity, 24 h urine volume and literature-suggested definitions of nocturnal polyuria. We used univariate analysis and cross-validated multivariate modelling to assess association between factors and nocturia status, redundancy between factors and whether the combined use of factors could explain patients' nocturia status.

RESULTS

The multivariate analyses showed that the most useful definitions of nocturia are 'Nocturia Index' (NI) and 'Nocturnal Urine Production per hour' (NUPh) in combination with functional bladder capacity and sleep duration. Published definitions providing binary nocturnal polyuria outcomes had lower performance than continuous indices. These analyses also showed that NI was not specific to nocturnal polyuria as it also captured nocturia due to low functional bladder capacity. By contrast, NUPh was demonstrated to be specific to nocturnal polyuria.

CONCLUSION

NUPh has previously been shown among elderly males to be essential in nocturia and a very valid measure of nocturnal polyuria. However, the current, large and independent dataset now confirms that it can be applied in an adult population with a complaint of nocturia covering both males and females.

Management Strategies for Nocturia

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Nocturia is defined as awakening due to the desire to void during a period of intended sleep. The pathophysiology of nocturia is multifactorial and management remains a challenge. Herein, we provide an overview of the management strategies for nocturia and summarize the existing evidence for treatment of nocturia across the condition's broad etiologic categories: nocturnal polyuria, diminished bladder capacity, and global polyuria.

RECENT FINDINGS

Treatment should begin with behavioral modification. A high level of evidence supports the efficacy of desmopressin in the treatment of nocturnal polyuria. Data supporting the efficacy of α-blockers, antimuscarinics, and surgical bladder outlet procedures in the treatment of nocturia remains limited. Treatment options for nocturia are determined by underlying mechanism. Desmopressin is effective in treating nocturnal polyuria. Surgical intervention, α-blockers, and antimuscarinics may improve nocturia when associated with lower urinary tract symptoms or overactive bladder in the setting of diminished bladder capacity.

[Impact of medical and surgical treatments of LUTS on nocturia]

INTRODUCTION

Nocturia is the most frequently reported lower urinary tract symptom, but the impact of medical and surgical treatments on this symptom remains poorly evaluated. The objective of this work was to carry out a systematic review of the literature on the medical and surgical management of nocturia in men with bladder outlet obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A systematic review of the literature was conducted including the effects of medical and surgical treatments on nocturia. Articles were selected by 3 independent reviewers before being analyzed and synthesized.

RESULTS

Among medical treatments, the most effective on nocturia seems to be desmopressin. Nevertheless, prescribing restrictions to men under 65 years of age hinder its use in routine practice. The effect of other medical treatments remains modest, although significant compared to placebo groups. The decrease in the number of nocturia would decrease from 0.25 to 0.7 in placebo group and from 0.29 to 1.1 in active treatment groups (alpha blocker, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, IPDE-5, 5 alpha reductase inhibitor). Surgical treatments seem to be more effective on nocturia. Although persistent in half of the patients undergoing surgery, the number of nocturia episodes decreased in 70% of them.

CONCLUSION

Nocturia is one of the most common urinary symptoms and the one that responds the least to the proposed medical and surgical treatments. The information given to patients by urologists must emphasize the modest effects to be expected in this area.

Pharmacotherapy for Nocturia

Purpose of Review

To assess current pharmacological principles used for treatment of nocturia/nocturnal polyuria.

Recent Findings

The pathophysiology of nocturia is often multifactorial, but two main mechanisms have been identified, occurring alone or in combination: low functional bladder capacity and nocturnal polyuria. The multifactorial pathophysiology not only implies several possible targets for therapeutic intervention but also means that it is unlikely that one treatment modality including drugs will be successful in all patients. Drugs approved for the treatment of male LUTS and male and female OAB are known to be far more effective for treatment of the daytime symptoms than for nocturia.

Summary

Several pharmacological principles have been tested with varying success. The treatment of choice should depend upon the main underlying cause, thus aiming primarily to increase bladder capacity by counteracting detrusor overactivity and/or reducing nocturnal polyuria. Using current available agents, effective, personalized treatment should be designed taking into account gender, co-morbidities, and identified etiological factors. However, there is a medical need for new, approved drugs for treatments for patients with nocturia.

Influence of Daytime or Nighttime Dosing with Solifenacin for Overactive Bladder with Nocturia: Impact on Nocturia and Sleep Quality

We compared changes in nocturia and sleep-related parameters between daytime and nighttime solifenacin dosing in patents with overactive bladder (OAB) and nocturia. We comparatively analyzed the data of a 12-week prospective, open-label, multicenter, randomized study. All 127 patients who presented to 5 centers in Korea for the treatment of OAB with nocturia between January 2011 and December 2013 were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into 2 groups by medication timing: group 1, daytime (n = 62); and group 2, nighttime (n = 65). The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS), and Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) were used to assess OAB symptoms and sleep quality. We evaluated the parameter changes before and 12 weeks after daytime or nighttime solifenacin administration. Baseline data, which included sex, age, body mass index (BMI), total AIS, IPSS, and OABSS, did not differ between the 2 groups. Total IPSS, OABSS, and total AIS significantly improved after solifenacin administration regardless of timing (P < 0.001). After solifenacin administration, the number of nocturia episodes decreased in the group 1 and 2 (P < 0.001). There were no significant intergroup differences in changes in AIS, IPSS, OABSS, and number of nocturia episodes 12 weeks after solifenacin administration. Treating OAB with solifenacin may improve nocturia and sleep quality, but advantages did not differ significantly by medication timing.

Tolterodine treatment of women with overactive bladder syndrome: Comparison of night-time and daytime dosing for nocturia

AIM

We aimed to clarify the impact of night-time dosing with tolterodine extended release (ER) on nocturia.

METHODS

The bladder diaries, urodynamic studies, and medical records of female patients with overactive bladder syndrome who were diagnosed between January 2005 and December 2015, and treated with tolterodine ER 4 mg once per day (night-time or daytime dosing) for 12 weeks in the urogynecology outpatient clinics of two tertiary referral centers were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTS

A total of 72 female patients were reviewed. Thirty-six patients were in the daytime dosing group, and the other 36 patients were in the night-time dosing group. In the daytime dosing group, a decrease in the volume of fluid intake was found at 06.00-12.00, 12.00-18.00, and 18.00-24.00 hours, and a decrease in total voided volume was found at 12.00-18.00, 18.00-24.00, and 24.00-06.00 hours with a between-group difference at 18.00-24.00 hours (coefficient = 542 mL, P = 0.01). In the night-time dosing group, an increase in voided volume per micturition was found at 06.00-12.00 and 24.00-06.00 hours with a between-group difference at 24.00-6.00 hours (coefficient = 92 mL, P = 0.003) compared with the daytime dosing group. Nonetheless, pre-treatment proportions of nocturnal polyuria did not differ from post-treatment proportions (night-time: 20% vs 20%, P = 1.00; daytime: 48% vs 42%, P = 0.48). Decreases in the number of voiding and urgency episodes at nearly all time periods and increases in the volumes at strong desire to void were also found in both groups.

CONCLUSION

Night-time dosing of tolterodine ER may benefit female patients suffering from nocturia due to a greater voided volume per micturition at midnight.

The effects of tolterodine on anterior segment and choroidal thickness in patients with overactive bladder syndrome

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the effects of tolterodine on anterior segment and choroidal thickness by using the Pentacam system and optical coherence tomography (OCT) (Pentacam).

METHODS

A total of 122 eyes of 61 patients (34 female; 27 male) were included in the study. All patients underwent a regular ocular examination and intraocular pressure measurements before and after 3 months of antimuscarinic drug tolterodine treatment, in addition, pupil diameter, anterior chamber depth, anterior chamber volume, anterior chamber angle, and lens thickness were measured through Pentacam (Oculus Inc., Wetzlar, Germany) system. Measurements of choroidal thickness were performed by OCT (Spectralis^®, Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany).

RESULTS

The mean age was 58.4 ± 7.3 years and 56.5 ± 11.1 years for female and male patients. The mean intraocular pressure was 15.10 ± 2.75 mmHg before treatment and 15.18 ± 2.65 mmHg after treatment. Pupil diameters were 3.09 ± 0.48 mm before treatment and 3.12 ± 0.43 mm after treatment. Anterior chamber depth, before and after treatment were 2.68 ± 0.65 mm and 2.70 ± 0.61 mm. The mean value for subfoveal choroidal thickness was 267.92 ± 81.35 μm before the administration of tolterodine, whereas the mean choroidal thickness was 271.83 ± 75.42 μm after the administration of tolterodine. The alterations in the subfoveal choroidal thickness were not statistically significant (p = 0.862).

CONCLUSIONS

After 3 months of therapy with tolterodine, there were no significant changes in anterior segment parameters and choroidal thickness.

Pitfalls and opportunities in multidisciplinary research about nocturia in adults

OBJECTIVES

Describe current shortcomings in clinical research on the treatment of nocturia in adults, and suggest new directions for future studies in this field.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted using the keywords 'nocturia,' 'nocturnal polyuria,' 'sleep,' and 'hypertension.'

RESULTS

Nocturia, or waking up at night to void, is a highly prevalent and bothersome lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS) affecting up to 40% of adults. Since the majority of patients are diagnosed with nocturnal polyuria (NP) as one of the underlying causes, it is not surprising that the effect of treatments for overactive bladder (OAB) and bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) are disappointing with regard to nocturia. Therefore, we suggest to conduct studies in which nocturic patients are treated according to the underlying pathophysiology: (1) antimuscarinics or β3-agonists for OAB symptoms, (2) α-blockers or 5α-reductase inhibitors in men with BOO caused by enlarged prostates, (3) desmopressin or diuretics for NP, (4) continuous positive airway pressure in nocturic patients with obstructive sleep apnea, and (5) all its combinations in case of combined pathophysiology. Not only the effect on treatment efficacy or side effects needs to be assessed, but also the impact on related comorbidities such as sleep disorders, hypertension, and endocrine functions such as blood glucose regulation.

CONCLUSION

Future research needs to subtype nocturic patients in order to adapt treatment according to the underlying cause.

Treatment Options for Urogenital Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease

Urogenital dysfunction is commonly reported in Parkinson’s disease (PD), and history taking and a bladder diary form the cornerstone of evaluation. The assessment of lower urinary tract (LUT) symptoms include urinalysis, ultrasonography, and urodynamic studies and help to evaluate concomitant urological pathologies such as benign prostate enlargement. Antimuscarinic medications are the first line treatment for overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms and solifenacin has been specifically studied in PD. Antimuscarininc drugs may exacerbate PD-related constipation and xerostomia, and caution is advised when using these medications in individuals where cognitive impairment is suspected. Desmopressin is effective for the management of nocturnal polyuria which has been reported to be common in PD. Intradetrusor injections of botulinum toxin have been shown to be effective for detrusor overactivity, however, are associated with the risk of urinary retention. Neuromodulation is a promising, minimally invasive treatment for PD-related OAB symptoms. Erectile dysfunction is commonly reported and first line treatments include phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. A patient-tailored approach is required for the optimal management of urogenital dysfunction in PD.

Nocturia in Parkinson's Disease: Why Does It Occur and How to Manage?

BACKGROUND

Nocturia is one of the commonest nonmotor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) and has a significant impact on quality of life both for patients and their carers. There exists a relation between nocturia and poor sleep quality, falls, and institutionalization. Nocturia may manifest as a result of reduced functional bladder capacity or nocturnal polyuria; however, most often the cause is multifactorial. Disorders of circadian rhythm regulation are known to occur with sleep disturbances in PD may also contribute to nocturia.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In this review, an overview of the assessment and management of nocturia in patients with PD is presented. History taking, medication review, and a bladder diary form the cornerstone of the evaluation. Urinalysis, ultrasonography, and urodynamic studies help to assess the cause for lower urinary tract symptoms and exclude concomitant pathologies, such as bladder outlet obstruction. Antimuscarinic medications are the first-line treatment for the overactive bladder; however, caution is needed when using these medications in individuals predisposed to cognitive impairment. Desmopressin is effective for managing nocturnal polyuria.

CONCLUSIONS

An individualized approach is recommended to optimize the management of nocturia in PD.

Nocturia: aetiology and treatment in adults

Nocturia is an extremely common condition that has major sequelae for affected patients. Through disruption of sleep, nocturia impairs quality of life and worsens health outcomes, and is associated with a variety of morbidities including diabetes, coronary artery disease, obstructive sleep apnoea, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and depression. Unsurprisingly, several studies have also linked nocturia with reduced survival. Nocturia is not simply a consequence of lower urinary tract disease; rather, it is a multifactorial disorder that is often a manifestation of an underlying renal or systemic disease. Through the use of the frequency volume chart, clinicians can accurately quantify nocturia and determine its aetiology. Evaluation of quality of life and sleep using simple measures is essential in order to assess the impact of nocturia on a patient. Numerous treatment options for nocturia exist, but most are associated with minor benefit or lack sufficient evidence supporting their use. By systematically analysing an individual's causes of nocturia, clinicians can design appropriate treatment strategies to most effectively treat this condition.

Overactive bladder - 18 years - Part II

Traditionally, the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome has been based on the use of oral medications with the purpose of reestablishing the detrusor stability. The recent better understanding of the urothelial physiology fostered conceptual changes, and the oral anticholinergics - pillars of the overactive bladder pharmacotherapy - started to be not only recognized for their properties of inhibiting the detrusor contractile activity, but also their action on the bladder afference, and therefore, on the reduction of the symptoms that constitute the syndrome. Beta-adrenergic agonists, which were recently added to the list of drugs for the treatment of overactive bladder, still wait for a definitive positioning - as either a second-line therapy or an adjuvant to oral anticholinergics. Conservative treatment failure, whether due to unsatisfactory results or the presence of adverse side effects, define it as refractory overactive bladder. In this context, the intravesical injection of botulinum toxin type A emerged as an effective option for the existing gap between the primary measures and more complex procedures such as bladder augmentation. Sacral neuromodulation, described three decades ago, had its indication reinforced in this overactive bladder era. Likewise, the electric stimulation of the tibial nerve is now a minimally invasive alternative to treat those with refractory overactive bladder. The results of the systematic literature review on the oral pharmacological treatment and the treatment of refractory overactive bladder gave rise to this second part of the review article Overactive Bladder - 18 years, prepared during the 1st Latin-American Consultation on Overactive Bladder.

Nocturia: Current Levels of Evidence and Recommendations From the International Consultation on Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate published evidence on nocturia in men and derive expert recommendations.

METHODS

The International Consultations on Urological Diseases-Société Internationale d'Urologie convened a Consultation of experts on male lower urinary tract symptoms. The Consultation assigned standardized levels of evidence and grades of recommendation to various studies of nocturia epidemiology, pathophysiology, assessment, and treatment.

RESULTS

Evidence review and consensus recommendations were made in the areas of epidemiology, pathophysiology, assessment, and treatment.

CONCLUSION

The review presents a condensed summary of the International Consultations on Urological Diseases-Société Internationale d'Urologie evaluation of nocturia, which offers contemporaneous expert consensus on this topic, with an assessment algorithm emphasizing the potential contribution of systemic conditions to the symptom.

Management of nocturia: the role of antidiuretic pharmacotherapy

Strategies to manage nocturia include lifestyle modifications and treatment with alpha-blockers, antimuscarinic therapies, and antidiuretics. The concept of achieving success should not be limited to reduction of nighttime voids; it should ideally include proof of improvement of conditions generally associated with nocturia, such as falls, quality of life, and overall health. Few studies have looked specifically at parameters other than nocturnal voids, such as sleep latency, first undisturbed sleep period (FUSP), and total sleep time, including their clinical relevance to patient well-being. Lifestyle modifications, such as voiding before bedtime, limiting caffeine and alcohol, and adjusting medication timing, may be initially effective in mild cases of nocturia. Statistically significant reductions in voiding have been reported with antimuscarinic agents and alpha-blockers as initial therapy, but these reductions generally are not clinically relevant. The antidiuretic therapy desmopressin acetate, a selective vasopressin receptor 2 agonist, is effective in adults with nocturia associated with nocturnal polyuria; however, hyponatremia can occur. The newest formulation-desmopressin orally disintegrating sublingual tablet (ODST)--has greater bioavailability; thus, lower doses can be used, potentially reducing hyponatremia risk. A phase 3 study demonstrated statistically significant reductions in nocturnal voids for desmopressin ODST 50 and 100 µg versus placebo (-1.18 and -1.43 vs. -0.86; P = 0.02 and P < 0.0001, respectively) in patients with nocturia. Treatment was well-tolerated, and low-dose desmopressin ODST was associated with statistically significant increases in duration of FUSP. Development of a validated composite endpoint may help clinicians identify and compare strategies for treating nocturia.

Medication adherence in the management of nocturia: challenges and solutions

OBJECTIVE

Nocturia affects millions of men and women. No prior reviews or meta-analyses have explored the issue of adherence in nocturia patients. The objective of our study was to examine the attributes and their interaction that might impact pharmacological adherence in nocturia care using a conceptual model of adherence.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A literature search of the Medline, PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, and CINAHL databases for studies published between January 1990 and June 2014 was conducted. We developed a conceptual model in order to facilitate our review.

RESULTS

Currently, multiple treatment options for nocturia exist, depending on the underlying cause. Adherence to nocturia treatment and outcomes are complex and intertwined, and nonadherence to nocturia treatment is common. In 15 studies meeting eligibility criteria, behavioral and pharmacologic interventions for nocturia were associated with reduced nocturia symptoms. Urinary symptoms that are associated with nocturia need individualized management depending on renal and hepatic function, medical comorbidities, and ongoing medication use in a patient. Another important factor related to adherence is the bother. Although nocturia is defined as nighttime-voiding frequency of one or more, not all persons may find this bothersome. The degree of bother is subjective, and may change from person to person. However, there is no information related to the association between bother and adherence to medication or behavioral treatments for nocturia. Medication dosing convenience, preference, and cost play important roles in adherence. We present a patient-centered conceptual model that brings together the various dimensions of medication adherence for nocturia.

CONCLUSION

Few studies have explored adherence to medication and related factors in the care of nocturia. Our conceptual model can aid development of interventions to improve adherence to nocturia medications.

Antimuscarinics and α-blockers or α-blockers monotherapy on lower urinary tract symptoms--a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess the clinical efficiency and safety of combination pharmacotherapy of antimuscarinics and α-blockers vs α-blockers monotherapy on patients with moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Review, and Web of Science from their inception until June 2013 to identify all eligible studies that compare the 2 pharmacotherapy strategies on LUTS. The Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan 5.2 software was used for data analysis, and the fixed or the random effect model was selected depending on the proportion of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Eighteen eligible randomized controlled trials were included in this systematic review, including 2106 (51.57%) in cotherapy group and 1978 (48.43%) in monotherapy group. Synthetic data showed that there were significant improvements on Storage International Prostate Symptom Score (mean difference [MD] = -1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] -2.10 to -0.91, P <.00001), quality of life score (MD = -0.53; 95% CI -0.89 to -0.17, P = .004), micturitions per 24 hours (MD = -1.14; 95% CI -1.84 to -0.45, P = .001), and urgency episodes per 24 hours (MD = -0.99; 95% CI -1.46 to -0.51, P <.0001) in the cotherapy group. There were no significant difference regarding maximum flow rate (MD = -0.05; 95% CI -0.27 to 0.17, P = .64), Total International Prostate Symptom Score (TIPSS) (MD = -0.88; 95% CI -1.64 to -0.12, P = .02), and Voiding International Prostate Symptom Score (VIPSS) (MD = 0.40; 95% CI -0.34 to 1.15, P = .29). As to postvoid residual volume, however, a worse condition was showed in the cotherapy group (MD = -6.53; 95% CI 3.06-10.00, P <.0002).

CONCLUSION

Antimuscarinics could and should be added to the drug regimen for patients with LUTS attributed to benign prostatic hyperplasia/bladder outlet obstruction, particularly are dominated by storage symptoms. For patients with increased acute urinary retention risk, they should be carefully monitored.

Comparative efficacy and safety of medical treatments for the management of overactive bladder: a systematic literature review and mixed treatment comparison

CONTEXT

Overactive bladder (OAB) treatment guidelines recommend antimuscarinics as first-line pharmacologic therapy. Mirabegron is a first-in-class β3-adrenoceptor agonist licensed for the treatment of OAB and has shown to be well tolerated and effective in the treatment of OAB symptoms.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the relative efficacy and tolerability of OAB medications, specifically mirabegron 50 mg versus antimuscarinics in patients with OAB.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

A systematic literature search was performed on published peer-reviewed articles from 2000 to 2013. This review included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) studying changes in symptoms (micturition frequency, incontinence, and urgency urinary incontinence [UUI] episodes) and incidence of the most frequently reported adverse events (dry mouth, constipation) associated with current OAB medications. The following drugs were considered in addition to mirabegron: darifenacin, tolterodine immediate release (IR) and extended release (ER), oxybutynin IR/ER, trospium, solifenacin, and fesoterodine. Bayesian mixed treatment comparisons (MTCs) were performed for efficacy (micturition, incontinence, UUI) and tolerability (dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision).

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Overall, 44 RCTs involving 27,309 patients were included. The MTCs showed that mirabegron 50 mg was as efficacious as antimuscarinics in reducing the frequency of micturition incontinence and UUI episodes, with the exception of solifenacin 10 mg that was more efficacious than mirabegron 50 mg in improving micturition frequency and frequency of UUI. Mirabegron 50 mg had an incidence of dry mouth similar to placebo and significantly lower than all included antimuscarinics.

CONCLUSIONS

Mirabegron 50 mg had similar efficacy to most antimuscarinics and lower incidence of dry mouth, the most common adverse event reported with antimuscarinics and one of the main causes of discontinuation of treatment. Despite being a powerful tool for evidence-based health care evaluation, the Bayesian MTC method has limitations. Further head-to-head comparisons between mirabegron and antimuscarinics should be conducted to confirm our results.

Current evaluation and treatment of nocturia

Nocturia is usually considered to be just one of the symptoms included with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and is treated with therapy based on LUTS. Recent research suggests, however, that nocturia is not merely a simple symptom of LUTS but is a multifactorial condition with many contributing etiological factors. The causes of nocturia can be classified into bladder storage problems, increased urine output, sleep disturbance problems, and other potential diseases. The frequency-volume chart (FVC) is very important in evaluating and diagnosing nocturia. Patients usually record the volume and timing of voids for a period of 1 to 3 days on the FVC. The FVC data can provide information on voiding patterns and clues about the etiology and treatment of nocturia. It is doubtful that alpha-blockers will have clinical significance for treatment because the difference in nocturia episodes between treatment with alpha-blockers and placebo is too small. Antimuscarinics also exert no effect on nocturnal polyuria, and the evidence supporting the efficacy of antimuscarinics for the treatment of nocturia is limited. However, several randomized placebo-controlled trials have shown the efficacy of oral desmopressin in the treatment of adults with nocturia. Short-acting hypnotics may be helpful for patients with sleep disturbances. Although surgical or interventional therapy is not indicated for nocturia, transurethral resection of the prostate appears to confer a greater improvement in benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms including nocturia. The management of nocturia may require a team approach by making optimal use of multidisciplinary expertise.

Antidiuretic effect of antimuscarinic agents in rat model depends on C-fibre afferent nerves in the bladder

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT? AND WHAT DOES THE STUDY ADD?: Antichollnergic agents are anticipated to diminish storage symptoms, as well as nocturia. Nevertheless, the effect of this treatment on polyuria related to nocturia is not clear. By subgroup analysis of the data set from a phase III clinical trial of antimuscarinic agent for OAB patients in Japan, imidafenacin was found to improve nocturia with a reduction in nocturnal polyuria. This study adds the effects and underlying mechanism of antimuscarinic agents decreasing urine production through inhibition of C-fibre in the bladder of water-leaded rats.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects and underlying mechanisms of antimuscarinic agents used to decrease in urine production in water-loaded rats.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Urine production was measured using a cystostomy catheter in female Sprague-Dawley rats every 2 h. The effect of the antimuscarinic agents atropine, tolterodine and imidafenacin on urine production was investigated under water-loaded conditions, which were induced by i.p. injection of 15 mL saline. Blood samples were collected to determine the levels of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), aldosterone (ALD), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) before, and 2 and 8 h after, antimuscarinic agent administration. To induce desensitization of C-fibre afferent nerves, resiniferatoxin (RTX)was injected s.c. or intravesically 2 days before experiments.

RESULTS

Urine production increased and reached its maximum 2 h after 15 mL saline injection. Imidafenacin and tolterodine decreased urine production in water-loaded rats, but ADH, ALD, ANP and BNP levels were not different between imidafenacin-treated and vehicle-treated rats. The inhibitory effect on urine production was not found in RTX-treated rats. Atropine did not reduce urine production.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that antimuscarinic agents decrease urine volume through C-fibres in the bladder; thus, antimuscarinics with inhibitory effects on C-fibres could be beneficial for nocturia with nocturnal polyuria.

Influence of type of nocturia and lower urinary tract symptoms on therapeutic outcome in women treated with desmopressin

PURPOSE

To investigate the type of nocturia and concomitant voiding dysfunction (VD) and the effect of desmopressin treatment on nocturia in women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed 84 women who experienced more than 2 nocturia episodes as recorded on a pretreatment frequency volume chart and who were treated with desmopressin. All patients underwent history taking, physical examination, urinalysis, International Prostate Symptom Score assessment, completion of a urinary sensation scale, and completion of a 3 day frequency volume chart. Nocturia was divided into nocturnal polyuria (NP), reduced nocturnal bladder capacity (RNBC), and mixed type. After treatment with desmopressin, a reduction in nocturia of over 50% compared with baseline was regarded as effective.

RESULTS

Among 84 women, the most common concomitant VD was overactive bladder (OAB, 60.7%). NP was observed in 70.2% (59/84) of the women, RNBC in 7.1% (6/84), and mixed type in 22.6% (19/84). After medication with desmopressin, 73 women (86.9%) showed a significantly reduced number of nocturia episodes (1.4±1.5) compared with baseline (3.7±1.3, p<0.05). Eleven women (13.1%) did not show improvement. Of the 73 women who showed improvement, 41 women showed a reduction of more than 50% over baseline, and these women had a lower baseline urgency grade.

CONCLUSIONS

In the majority of women, nocturia coexisted with other VD such as OAB. Treatment with desmopressin effectively reduced the nocturia. However, other lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) such as urgency may reduce the effect of desmopressin. Therefore, consideration of concomitant LUTS seems to be necessary to increase the treatment effect of desmopressin on nocturia in women.

The New England Research Institutes, Inc. (NERI) Nocturia Advisory Conference 2012: focus on outcomes of therapy

A consensus statement published in 2011 summarised current research, clinical approaches, and treatment options for nocturia. Since that time, new research has refined our understanding of nocturia in clinically important ways and new evidence has been presented on the efficacy and outcomes of several treatment methods for this underreported, infrequently recognised, and undertreated problem in adults. This paper provides updated guidance to clinicians in light of recent advances in the field.

Nocturia: current concepts and future perspectives

Nocturia is a prevalent highly bothersome urinary symptom that may significantly detriment the health and well-being of sufferers. It is characterized by waking at night to void, each void preceded and followed by sleep, hence leading to fragmentation of sleep and day-time tiredness. This may result in reduced productivity in the workplace, which contributes to the significant burden to the wider society that nocturia incurs. Nocturia was traditionally viewed as one of the many urinary tract symptoms that occur due to lower urinary tract dysfunction. However, recently it has been recognized that due to its multi-factorial aetio-pathogenesis, nocturia should be viewed as distinct clinical condition in its own right. Careful assessment of the nocturic patient is essential so that treatment strategies are guided by the likely causes. Much research is currently being undertaken into the underlying causes and the optimal management approaches. This review will explore the contemporary status of research on nocturia with a focus on the current and newly available pharmacotherapies.

Efficacy and safety of flexible dose fesoterodine in men and women with overactive bladder symptoms including nocturnal urinary urgency

PURPOSE

Awakening from sleep to urinate is the hallmark of nocturia, a condition that impacts several facets of health related quality of life and for which current therapy is suboptimal. Given the paucity of prospective data on antimuscarinics for the management of nocturia, we investigated the efficacy and safety of flexible dose fesoterodine for the treatment of nocturnal urgency in subjects with nocturia and overactive bladder.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Subjects with 2 to 8 nocturnal urgency episodes per 24 hours began a 2-week, single-blind, placebo run-in followed by 1:1 randomization to 12 weeks of double-blind treatment with fesoterodine (4 mg daily for 4 weeks with an optional increase to 8 mg) or placebo using predefined criteria for nocturnal urgency episodes, nocturnal urine volume voided and total 24-hour urine volume voided. The primary end point was change from baseline to week 12 in the mean number of micturition related nocturnal urgency episodes per 24 hours.

RESULTS

Overall 963 subjects were randomized from 2,990 screened, and 82% of subjects treated with fesoterodine and 84% of those treated with placebo completed the study. Significant improvements in the primary end point (-1.28 vs -1.07), in nocturnal micturitions per 24 hours (-1.02 vs -0.85) and in nocturnal frequency urgency sum (-4.01 vs -3.42) were observed with fesoterodine vs placebo (all p ≤0.01). Health related quality of life measures (overactive bladder questionnaire Symptom Bother -20.1 vs -16.5, sleep 22.3 vs 19.9 and other domains; all p <0.05) were improved with fesoterodine.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge this is the first prospective study to assess antimuscarinic efficacy for reducing nocturnal urgency. Flexible dose fesoterodine significantly reduced nocturnal urgency episodes vs placebo in subjects with overactive bladder.

The dilemma of nocturia

Patients with nocturia are often referred to urologists, but the underlying cause most often lies outside the urinary tract. Nocturia should be considered a systemic disorder and investigated and treated as such. Comprehensive assessment of the symptoms, optimally including a frequency volume chart, can help to determine the potential underlying cause and help to direct the patient to the most suitable medical professional for further management.

Efficacy and adverse events of antimuscarinics for treating overactive bladder: network meta-analyses

CONTEXT

Millions of people worldwide experience overactive bladder (OAB), and antimuscarinics are the pharmacologic treatment of choice. Several conventional meta-analyses have been published, but they fail to quantify efficacy and adverse events across drugs, dosages, formulations, and pharmaceutical forms.

OBJECTIVE

To perform two network meta-analyses summarizing the efficacy and adverse events of antimuscarinics in the treatment of OAB.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

Medline and Scopus searches, previous systematic reviews, conference abstracts, book chapters, and the reference lists of relevant articles were searched. Trialists were contacted. Eligible studies were randomized trials that compared at least one antimuscarinic for treating OAB with placebo or with another antimuscarinic, and that reported efficacy and/or adverse event outcomes. Efficacy was assessed for six outcomes (perception of cure or improvement, urgency episodes per 24h, leakage episodes per 24h, urgency incontinence episodes per 24h, micturitions per 24h, and nocturia episodes per 24h). Adverse events were assessed in seven categories according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Across all outcomes, a summary efficacy and an adverse event score were computed. Two authors independently extracted data.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

For the comparison of the efficacy, 76 trials enrolling 38 662 patients were included; for adverse events, 90 trials enrolling 39 919 patients were included. In the subset of studies reporting on treatments and dosages as used in clinical practice, 40 mg/d trospium chloride, 100mg/g per day oxybutynin topical gel, and 4 mg/d fesoterodine had the best efficacy, while higher dosages of orally administered oxybutynin and propiverine had the least favorable relationship of efficacy and adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study allowing trade-offs between efficacy and adverse events of various drugs and dosages in the treatment of patients with OAB. Differences among the various antimuscarinics call for careful, patient-centered management in which regimen changes should be considered.

Pharmacokinetics and toxicity of antimuscarinic drugs for overactive bladder treatment in females

INTRODUCTION

Antimuscarinics (AMs) are the mainstay of pharmacological treatment of overactive bladder (OAB), a symptom complex defined by the presence of urinary urgency, usually associated with frequency and nocturia, with or without urgency urinary incontinence. The AMs used to treat OAB differ in their pharmacological profiles, which may affect their potential for causing adverse effects (AEs).

AREAS COVERED

The present article aims to review the literature about pharmacokinetics (PK) of the different AMs used in the treatment of OAB. Furthermore, the AEs related to the use of these drugs and their incidence are presented. This systematic review is based on material searched and obtained via Medline, Pubmed and EMBASE up to March 2012 using the search terms "adverse events, pharmacokinetics, tolerability" in combination with "darifenacin, fesoterodine, imidafenacin, oxybutynin, propiverine, solifenacin, tolterodine, and trospium."

EXPERT OPINION

Antimuscarinics are the first-line pharmacological treatment for OAB. Despite the development of new molecules that improve their efficacy/safety profile, there are some drugs that are pharmacokinetically more appropriate to be prescribed in specific populations such as patients with neurological disease or the elderly. Moreover, research should be encouraged in evaluating antimuscarinics in conjunction with other drugs such as estrogens or beta-agonists. The identification of prognostic criteria for pharmacological therapy would be helpful.

Effect of imidafenacin on nocturia and sleep disorder in patients with overactive bladder

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of imidafenacin on nocturia and sleep disorder in patients with overactive bladder (OAB).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective multicenter study of imidafenacin 0.1 mg twice daily for patients with OAB and nocturia was conducted. At baseline and at week 4 and 8, patients were assessed using the overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS), frequency volume charts (FVC) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

RESULTS

Treatment with imidafenacin significantly improved OAB symptoms. Imidafenacin also improved PSQI, especially subjective sleep quality, sleep latency and daytime dysfunction. In FVC, the number of daytime voids and nighttime voids significantly decreased and average voided volume significantly increased after imidafenacin. Subanalysis of FVC based on the patients' age revealed that nocturnal polyuria was more often found in patients aged 75 years or over than in those aged under 75 years (79 vs. 55%, p < 0.05). Treatment with imidafenacin significantly reduced the nocturnal polyuria index only in patients aged 75 years or over.

CONCLUSIONS

Imidafenacin can improve nocturia and sleep disorder in patients with OAB. The efficacy of imidafenacin on nocturia is attributable to an increase in bladder capacity and a decrease in nocturnal urine volume. We conclude that imidafenacin is an effective and safe drug for nocturia in patients with OAB.