CLINICAL EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF TOLTERODINE COMPARED TO PLACEBO IN DETRUSOR OVERACTIVITY:

Does conservative management really benefit patients with OAB?

The benefit that patients with overactive bladder (OAB) experience with conservative management is an important aspect in the evaluation of this therapy. The first-line options include behavioral interventions, and several techniques are available. Clinical research indicates amelioration of individual symptoms with these techniques, but few studies have shown a positive effect on health-related quality-of-life parameters. After failure of behavioral therapy or in combination with a training program, pharmacological therapy with anticholinergics is the next step. Extensive clinical research into different pharmacological compounds has shown significant effects on the symptomatic elements of OAB. The clinical relevance and the effects on quality-of-life parameters with pharmacological therapy have also been evaluated and show a significant effect on specific aspects. Recently, clinical research in conservative management of patients with OAB has focused more on evaluating patients' perceptions of their condition and the effects of treatment with patient-reported outcome instruments. Future studies should include these tools in the evaluation of any therapy in OAB.

Overactive bladder syndrome in older people

The overactive bladder symptom complex (OAB) is the commonest cause of urinary incontinence in older people, and is usually due to underlying detrusor overactivity, and as such is a treatable condition. Older people are a heterogeneous group, which includes fit community-dwelling individuals and those with significant medical comorbidity; thus the requirements of care for this group are many and varied. The International Continence Society definition of the frail elderly, those aged >65 years with continence problems, who by virtue of comorbidity are house-bound or living in an institution, is clearly not applicable to all. However, many conditions begin to appear in later life and practitioners need to be aware of the need to manage these, and their treatment, when dealing with older people. Studies of medication for OAB have included the elderly and there is evidence of an equivalent benefit in younger people. The impact of treatment on the cognitively impaired and those receiving acetylcholinesterase inhibitors is discussed.

A meta-analysis comparing trials of antimuscarinic medications funded by industry or not

OBJECTIVE

To determine if there is a significant difference in outcomes of clinical trials funded by industry or not of antimuscarinic medications used to treat overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms and detrusor overactivity (DOA).

METHODS

A Medline search was conducted from January 1966 to June 2003 to identify human clinical trials of oxybutynin and tolterodine published in English. Randomized controlled trials on subjects aged > or = 16 years who were being treated with oxybutynin or tolterodine for OAB symptoms or DOA; 24 studies were identified. The endpoints assessed were OAB symptoms or changes in uninhibited detrusor contractions on cystometrography. The outcome variables were dichotomized as 'improvement' or 'no improvement'. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each study based on data derived or extracted from tables and figures.

RESULTS

Meta-analysis showed no significant difference in the outcomes trails funded by industry or not. Trials were then reviewed to determine their adherence to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines for randomized trials.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical trials are important for clinicians when selecting medical therapies. In this analysis we found no difference in outcomes when comparing studies funded by industry or not for tolterodine and oxybutynin. The quality of all trials would be improved by close adherence to the CONSORT guidelines for randomized clinical trials.

A novel surgical technique for implanting a new electrostimulation system for treating female overactive bladder: a preliminary report

OBJECTIVE

To assess the results of peripheral electrostimulation of pelvic floor muscles in patients with overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms, and to describe a novel surgical technique for inserting a specially designed implantable electrostimulator which can deliver different forms of muscle stimulation through a para-urethral electrode.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included seven women with OAB (mean age 59 years) who had frequency (including nocturia), urgency and urge incontinence for > or = 1 year, and in whom conventional treatment failed. The antepubic technique was used to implant the electrostimulator and a para-urethral electrode. The patients' urinary symptoms and quality of life (King's College Hospital incontinence questionnaire) were compared before and after surgery, and possible complications monitored.

RESULTS

The mean (range) follow-up was 14.5 (13-17) months in six and 10 months in the seventh patient (stimulator removed because of infection). The mean (range) frequency of 15 (13-23) voids/24 h before surgery decreased to 9 voids/24 h (i.e. by 40%) afterward. All patients had leakage episodes because of urgency (4-15 times/day) before surgery, which ceased in five afterward; these patients used no further pads. In the remaining two patients urgency incontinence continued after surgery, but with significantly fewer leakage episodes, from 15 and 12 per day before to 6.7 and 4 afterward, respectively. The mean degree of urgency (graded 0-3) decreased from 2 to 1.4 after surgery, and quality of life improved significantly. Urodynamic studies showed a greater mean maximum detrusor capacity, from 135 mL before to 189 mL after implanting the stimulator.

CONCLUSIONS

The good results (over a follow-up of 1 year) in patients with OAB symptoms treated by the present electrostimulator should encourage further clinical studies in such patients. A trial to evaluate the efficacy of pelvic floor muscle electrostimulation in a broad spectrum of diseases of the lower urinary tract causing symptoms similar to OAB has been started.

Tolterodine: a clinical review

This analysis reviews clinical trials of the efficacy and safety of tolterodine for use in overactive bladder. It also compares the safety and efficacy of tolterodine and previously available pharmacotherapy. The MEDLINE database (1966 to present) was searched for all English language randomized controlled trials with keyword tolterodine. The search retrieved 10 randomized controlled trials involving tolterodine. Studies ranged from 2 to 12 weeks in duration. Nine trials studied tolterodine vs. placebo, 6 compared tolterodine vs. oxybutynin, 6 compared different doses of tolterodine, and 1 compared immediate-release and extended-release tolterodine. Doses of tolterodine were 0.5-4 mg bid or 4 mg extended-release daily, and doses of oxybutynin were 5 mg bid or tid. All studies found a benefit of tolterodine over placebo in decreasing symptoms of overactive bladder. Parameters significantly improved by tolterodine include number of voids per day, urine volume per void, number of incontinent episodes per day, pad use, maximal cystometric capacity, residual volume, volume at first detrusor contraction, and volume at normal desire to void. Tolterodine 2 mg bid was consistently of equal efficacy as oxybutynin 5 mg tid. Adverse events with both medications were mostly dose-related autonomic nervous system events. The most common adverse event was dry mouth, which was both more frequent and more severe with oxybutynin 5 mg tid than with tolterodine 2 mg bid. Dry mouth did not generally result in discontinuation of medication with either drug. Most drug withdrawal was because of blurred vision or headache. Tolterodine 2 mg bid caused less dose reduction, patient withdrawal, and adverse events, especially dry mouth, compared with oxybutynin 5 mg tid. A single trial found tolterodine extended-release 4 mg/day to have improved efficacy for decreasing urge incontinence episodes along with lower frequency of dry mouth vs. immediate-release tolterodine 2 mg bid. At 4 mg bid, tolterodine caused urinary retention. Neither drug significantly altered any laboratory tests, nor was there clear evidence of electrocardiographic abnormalities induced by either drug. In all randomized controlled trials to date, tolterodine 2 mg bid is an equally effective alternative to oxybutynin 5 mg tid, while causing less intense and less frequent dry mouth or need for treatment withdrawal.