Effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on Overactive Bladder Symptoms in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Effect of combined use of tolterodine and continuous positive airway pressure vs continuous positive airway pressure only treatment on overactive bladder symptoms in women with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a randomized clinical trial

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is associated with urological symptoms, including overactive bladder (OAB). This study aims to determine whether combined tolterodine and CPAP therapies are more effective for patients with OSAS than CPAP treatment only.

METHODS

Women who underwent polysomnography test and were diagnosed with moderate-to-severe OSAS with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) were included in the study. Data were collected on AHI, OAB awareness-8-item tool (OAB-V8), incontinence questionnaire-urinary incontinence short form (ICIQ-UI-SF), total daily urine volume (DUV), and the Benefit, satisfaction with treatment and willingness (BSW) tool. Eligible patients were randomized to receive either CPAP treatment only or combined CPAP and tolterodine treatment for 3 months.

RESULTS

Among 103 participants, a total of 60 were included. Patients in both treatment arms showed significant improvements in OAB-V8, ICIQ-UI-SF, and total DUV compared to their baseline. The mean OAB-V8 was 15.7 at baseline and 5.6 at 3 months for the combined treatment arm and 16.6 and 7.6 at 3 months for the CPAP group only (mean baseline-adjusted between-group difference -1.1 [95% CI, -12.3 to -7.4]; p < 0.001). The improvement in the mean ICIQ-UI-SF was also statistically more significant in the combined therapy group than in the CPAP only arm (mean baseline-adjusted between-group difference -3.27 [95% CI, -4.6 to -1.59]; p < 0.001). No statistical significance was found in the improvement of total DUV between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, combined use of tolterodine with CPAP provides beneficial effects to CPAP treatment only regarding OAB symptoms. Further research is required to confirm these findings in a large cohort.

The effect of treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome on overactive bladder symptoms

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome on overactive bladder symptoms.

METHODS

All patients who applied to the outpatient clinic with complaints of snoring and apnea were evaluated by polysomnography between years 2017 and 2019. obstructive sleep apnea syndrome severity was evaluated according to the apnea-hypopnea-index. All patients were filled with questionnaire form as overactive bladder symptoms score, international quality of life, international consultation on incontinence questionnaire short-form, and 3-day bladder diary before polysomnography and three months after continuous positive airway pressure therapy and surgical treatment.

RESULTS

A total of 125 patients, 34 (27.2%) patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, 27 (21.6%) patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, and 64 (51.2) patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome were included in the study. The prevalence of overactive bladder symptoms in three obstructive sleep apnea syndrome groups were 67.6, 53.8, and 48.4%, respectively, and there was no statistical difference between the groups (p=0.190). obstructive sleep apnea syndrome treatment such as surgical treatment or continuous positive airway pressure therapy was applied to 45.5% (31 patients) patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and overactive bladder. Three months after treatment, the overactive bladder symptoms score significantly decreased from 16.1±7.9-12.80±9.82, international quality of life was significantly increased from 105.0±23.2-110.4±22.2, and incontinence questionnaire short-form decreased from 11.9±4.0-10.4±5.6 (p=0.009, p=0.023, and p=0.248, respectively). There was a significant decrease between before and after treatment in terms of mean day-time frequency and mean urgency episodes of patients (p=0.007, p=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Both surgery and continuous positive airway pressure treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome improved overactive bladder symptoms, overactive bladder symptoms score, international quality of life, day-time frequency, and urgency episodes.