A randomised, prospective double-blind, propiverine-controlled trial of imidafenacin in patients with overactive bladder

The impact of pharmacotherapy on sexual function in female patients being treated for idiopathic overactive bladder: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a condition defined by urgency with or without incontinence which disproportionately affects female patients and has a negative impact on sexual enjoyment and avoidance behaviour. Pharmacotherapy can be considered one of the main options for treating OAB. This research set out to determine the impact of pharmacotherapy on sexual function in females with OAB.

METHODS

This research used the robust methodology of a systematic review. The clinical question was formulated using the PICO (population, intervention, control, and outcomes) format to include females being treated with pharmacotherapy (anticholinergics or beta-3 adrenergic agonists) for idiopathic OAB with the use of a validated questionnaire assessing self-reported sexual function at baseline and post-treatment. The review incorporated the MEDLINE, PubMed and EMBASE databases. The AMSTAR 2 (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews) appraisal tool was used to guide the review process. Two reviewers worked independently in screening abstracts, deciding on the inclusion of full-texts, data extraction and risk of bias assessment.

RESULTS

In female patients with OAB, pharmacotherapy does seem to offer at least partial improvement in self-reported sexual function outcomes after 12 weeks of therapy. Still, the value of this finding is limited by an overall poor quality of evidence. Patients with a higher degree of bother at baseline stand to benefit the most from treatment when an improvement within this health-related quality of life domain is sought.

CONCLUSION

This research should form the basis for a well-conducted randomized controlled study to accurately assess sexual function improvements in females being treated with pharmacotherapy for OAB.

Comparative assessment of efficacy and safety of approved oral therapies for overactive bladder: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

bladder based on a systematic review and network meta-analysis approach.

METHODS

Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Register of Clinical Trials databases were systematically searched. The search time frame was from database creation to June 2, 2022. Randomized controlled double-blind trials of oral medication for overactive bladder were screened against the protocol's entry criteria. Trials were evaluated for quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, and data were statistically analyzed using Stata 16.0 software.

RESULT

A total of 60 randomized controlled double-blind clinical trials were included involving 50,333 subjects. Solifenacin 10mg was the most effective in mean daily micturitions and incontinence episodes, solifenacin 5/10mg in mean daily urinary urgency episodes and nocturia episodes, fesoterodine 8mg in urgency incontinence episodes/d and oxybutynin 5mg in voided volume/micturition. In terms of safety, solifenacin 5mg, ER-tolterodine 4mg, mirabegron, vibegron and ER-oxybutynin 10mg all showed a better incidence of dry mouth, fesoterodine 4mg, ER-oxybutynin 10mg, tolterodine 2mg, and vibegron in the incidence of constipation. Compared to placebo, imidafenacin 0.1mg showed a significantly increased incidence in hypertension, solifenacin 10mg in urinary tract infection, fesoterodine 4/8mg and darifenacin 15mg in headache.

CONCLUSION

Solifenacin showed better efficacy. For safety, most anticholinergic drugs were more likely to cause dry mouth and constipation, lower doses were better tolerated. The choice of drugs should be tailored to the patient's specific situation to find the best balance between efficacy and safety.

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.

Exercise interventions improve depression and anxiety in chronic kidney disease patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

This systematic review examined the effects of exercise interventions on depression and anxiety in chronic kidney disease patients.

METHODS

Electronic searches were conducted between August 2019 and February 2020 at PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, EBSCO, Scopus, LILACS, EMBASE, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, and Cochrane Library databases. Original clinical trial studies that examined the effects of exercise on depression and anxiety in chronic kidney disease patients, stages 3-5, were included. A total of eight studies were included in the systematic review after applying the eligibility criteria, and six studies used for the meta-analysis procedures.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis demonstrated statistical difference on depression in favour to exercise when compared to active control (SMD = - 0.66 [- 1.00, - 0.33], p < 0.0001) and passive control (MD = - 6.95 [- 8.76, - 5.14], p < 0.00001). Same results on anxiety demonstrated statistical difference between exercise and active control (SMD = - 0.78 [- 1.21, - 0.34], p = 0.0004).

CONCLUSION

From the current limited number and quality of published studies, exercise seems to be more effective than sedentary control and other active control groups for improving depression and anxiety symptoms in chronic kidney disease patients.

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of imidafenacin in patients with overactive bladder in Taiwan

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of imidafenacin 0.1 mg twice daily vs placebo for Taiwanese patients with overactive bladder (OAB) after a 12-week oral administration.

METHODS

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-arm, parallel-group, prospective study enrolled 118 patients across 11 study sites in Taiwan. Subjects were randomized to imidafenacin or placebo in a 2:1 ratio and entered the 12-week treatment period. At the subsequent visits, efficacy outcome measures and safety assessments were collected for analysis. The primary efficacy outcome was the change in the mean number of micturitions per day. Secondary endpoints included mean changes from baseline in urgency episodes and urge incontinence episodes per day and mean volume voided per micturition. Safety outcomes were also collected and compared between groups.

RESULTS

A total of 78 and 40 patients were allocated to the imidafenacin and placebo groups, respectively. Among them, 100 patients (imidafenacin, 65 and placebo, 35) completed the trial. Compared with placebo, imidafenacin was significantly better at reducing the number of micturitions per day (-1.29 ± 2.23 vs -0.46 ± 3.49, P = .0171) and reducing the mean number of urge incontinence episodes (-0.15 ± 0.52 vs 0.04 ± 0.50, P = .0386) at week 12. Adverse events were reported in 35 subjects (44.9%) and 16 (40%) in the imidafenacin and placebo groups, including constipation (n = 3, 4), dry mouth (n = 11, 2), and urinary tract infection (n = 7, 4), respectively. One patient in the imidafenacin group had mild dysuria.

CONCLUSION

Imidafenacin demonstrated efficacy and safety in the treatment of OAB in Taiwanese patients.

Is imidafenacin an alternative to current antimuscarinic drugs for patients with overactive bladder syndrome?

PURPOSE

Previous studies have included a limited number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and compared limited parameters after treatment with imidafenacin and other anticholinergic drugs (ADs) for overactive bladder syndrome (OAB), and controversy about the superiority of these ADs still remains. We aim to update the evidence and provide better clinical guidance.

METHODS

A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrial.gov and Cochrane Library Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted from January 2007 to April 2019. Meta-analysis of all published RCTs comparing imidafenacin with other ADs in patients with OAB was performed. The primary outcomes were the changes in OAB symptoms and OAB symptom score (OABSS). Secondary outcomes included adverse events (AEs) and the dropout rate related to AEs.

RESULTS

A total of 6 studies including 7 RCTs involving 1430 patients with mean follow-up of 23.43 weeks were included. All ADs improved OAB symptoms. Regarding efficacy, these drugs had similar efficacy in voids, urgency episodes, urgency incontinence episodes, incontinence episodes and OABSS. However, imidafenacin performed better in the reduction of nocturia episodes (MD = -0.24, 95% CI -0.44 to -0.04, P = 0.02). Moreover, imidafenacin was associated with a statistically lower dry mouth rate (RR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.75-1.00, P = 0.04), lower constipation rate (RR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.50-0.93, P = 0.01) and lower AE-related withdrawal rate (RR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.29-0.89, P = 0.02). There was no significant difference in terms of other complications.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, imidafenacin was comparable to other ADs in the treatment of OAB. Moreover, imidafenacin presented a lower dry mouth rate, lower constipation rate and higher adherence and persistence.

Randomized, open-label, tolterodine-controlled, comparative study of the novel antimuscarinic agent imidafenacin in patients with overactive bladder

BACKGROUND

The role of the selective antimuscarinic imidafenacin in Caucasian patients with overactive bladder (OAB) has not been previously assessed.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of imidafenacin 0.2 mg vs tolterodine 4 mg per day in patients with OAB.

DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

This study was a randomized, open-label, tolterodine-controlled, comparative multicenter trial of 300 randomized patients with OAB symptoms for 12 weeks with full analysis of 289 patients.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Based on 5-day bladder diaries, the primary efficacy endpoint was the change in the mean number of micturitions per day. The secondary endpoints were the change in the mean incontinence episodes, voiding frequency, the OAB Awareness Tool score, and the European Quality of Life Questionnaire (EQ-5D) score. The superiority of tolterodine over imidafenacin in the mean number of micturitions/24 hours was the null hypothesis.

RESULTS AND LIMITATION

The median age was 46.6 years, and 82% of patients were female. After treatment, the change in the mean number of incontinence episodes was -2.1 ± 2.2 in the imidafenacin group and -1.9 ± 1.8 in the tolterodine group (P = .001). The change in the mean number of daytime incontinence episodes was -1.7 ± 1.7 and -1.5 ± 1.4 ( P = .01). The OAB Awareness Tool score decreased by 14.2 ± 8.5 and 14.5 ± 8.0, respectively ( P = 0.5). Most adverse events were mild and resolved without treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical efficacy and safety of imidafenacin are not inferior to those of tolterodine for the treatment of Caucasian patients with OAB.

PATIENT SUMMARY

Imidafenacin is as effective as tolterodine for the treatment of OAB.

Comparison of mirabegron and imidafenacin for efficacy and safety in Japanese female patients with overactive bladder: A randomized controlled trial (COMFORT study)

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mirabegron compared with imidafenacin for the treatment of female patients with overactive bladder.

METHODS

Patients (n = 89) were randomized to receive 0.1 mg imidafenacin twice daily (n = 47) or 50 mg mirabegron once daily (n = 42) for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy end-point was change in total Overactive Bladder Symptom Score. Secondary efficacy end-points included change in Overactive Bladder Symptom Score, 3-day micturition diary, International Prostate Symptom Score and Overactive Bladder Questionnaire. Safety assessments included adverse events, vital signs, post-void residual volume and patient-reported incidence, and severity of distinctive symptoms related to adverse events.

RESULTS

The mirabegron group showed a significantly reduced mean total Overactive Bladder Symptom Score from baseline, but no significant differences were noted in change of total Overactive Bladder Symptom Score compared with the imidafenacin group. Significant improvements in secondary efficacy end-points were observed regarding the mean number of micturitions/24 h, mean number of urgency episodes/24 h, mean number of incontinence episodes/24 h, mean volume voided/micturition, total International Prostate Symptom Score and quality of life in both groups, with no significant differences between the groups. The overall incidence of adverse events and the incidence of dry mouth were significantly higher in the imidafenacin group than in the mirabegron group. Patient-reported incidence and the severity of dry mouth were significantly exacerbated in the imidafenacin group.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with 50 mg mirabegron once daily effectively relieves overactive bladder symptoms in women with fewer adverse events than treatment with antimuscarinics.

Delivery methods for drugs used in the treatment of overactive bladder

INTRODUCTION

Overactive bladder affects a significant portion of the population and results in prescribing of numerous medications for its treatment. Traditional drug delivery systems used in therapy are associated with multiple commonly reported side effects. Adherence rates with use of these medications are low. It is likely that low adherence rates with the use of these drugs are due in some part to drug side effects. It is therefore important that alternate methods for drug delivery be explored to reduce side effect profiles and improve patient compliance.

AREAS COVERED

This article addresses the various forms of drug delivery for overactive bladder medications, focusing on those currently in use. Newer systems of drug delivery are also discussed. Through thorough review of research data, randomized trials and meta analyses, drug delivery systems were evaluated.

EXPERT OPINION

EXPERT OPINION favors the use of the transdermal patch and recognizes the necessity for further research and development of other delivery methods. The patch delivery method offers the most effective means of treating symptoms and minimizing drug related adverse side effects leading to treatment discontinuation. Development of OAB medications aimed at alternate receptor targets has the potential to facilitate the creation of new treatment methods to compete with the current standard of care used in OAB treatment.

Efficacy and safety of imidafenacin for overactive bladder in adult: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of imidafenacin for treating overactive bladder in adult.

METHODS

A literature review was performed to identify all published randomized placebo-controlled trials of imidafenacin for the treatment of OAB. The search included the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE. The reference lists of retrieved studies were also investigated.

RESULTS

Five publications involving a total of 1,428 patients were used in the analysis, which compared imidafenacin with propiverine and solifenacin. We found that imidafenacin was effective in treating OAB in our meta-analysis, which was similar to propiverine in its efficacy. The mean number of UI per week (the standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.23, 95% CI -0.19 to 2.65, p = 0.09), the mean number of urgency episodes per day (SMD = 0.26, 95% CI -0.11 to 0.63, p = 0.17), the mean number of micturitions per day (SMD = 0.01, 95% CI -0.30 to 0.31, p = 0.96), and the mean urine volume (ml) per micturition (SMD = -13.04, 95% CI -20.45 to -5.62, p = 0.0006) indicated that imidafenacin was similar to propiverine in its efficacy. Mean OABSS (SMD = 0.48, 95% CI -0.08 to 1.03, p = 0.09) indicated that imidafenacin was also similar to solifenacin in its efficacy. Besides, imidafenacin was better tolerated than propiverine in the safety, indicated by dry mouth (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.54-0.98, p = 0.04) and any adverse events (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.46-0.88, p = 0.006). Moreover, imidafenacin was also better tolerated than solifenacin in the safety, indicated by constipation (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.08-0.53, p = 0.001) and any adverse events (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.15-0.71, p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis indicates that imidafenacin was similar to propiverine or solifenacin in its efficacy for OAB and was better tolerated than propiverine or solifenacin in the safety for OAB. We conclude that imidafenacin is preferable to propiverine or solifenacin from a perspective of safety.

Innovative pharmacotherapies for women with overactive bladder: where are we now and what is in the pipeline?

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

The impressive prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) and the relevant limitations of current treatments urge the need for novel therapeutic approaches.

METHODS

A systematic literature and web search was performed to identify investigational drugs that entered the early and late phases of clinical development for women with OAB symptoms.

RESULTS

Approved pharmacological therapies for OAB (antimuscarinics, beta-3 agonists, and botulinum toxin) are evolving with the development of alternative administration methods, combination strategies, and novel compounds, expected to improve effectiveness, bladder selectivity, and dose flexibility. A wealth of investigational compounds, developed with both public and companies' indoor nonclinical disease-oriented studies, entered the early and late stages of clinical development in the last decade. Most non-anticholinergic compounds in ongoing clinical trials target central and peripheral neurotransmitter receptors involved in neurological modulation of micturition, nonadrenergic-noncholinergic mechanisms, cyclic nucleotide metabolism, different subtypes of ion channels or peripheral receptors of prostaglandins, vanilloids, vitamin D3, and opioids. Fascinating advances are ongoing also in the field of genetic therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

New pharmaceutical formulations and drug combinations are expected to be available in the next decade in order to overcome the limitations of current drugs for OAB. Although proof-of-concept, patient-oriented studies yielded disappointing results for several tentative drugs, a lot of clinical research is ongoing that is expected to provide clinicians with novel therapeutic agents in the near future.