Female Urgency, Trial of Urodynamics as Routine Evaluation (FUTURE study): a superiority randomised clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of invasive urodynamic investigations in management of women with refractory overactive bladder symptoms

BACKGROUND

Overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome is a symptom complex affecting 12-14% of the UK adult female population. Symptoms include urinary urgency, with or without urgency incontinence, increased daytime urinary frequency and nocturia. OAB has a negative impact on women's social, physical, and psychological wellbeing. Initial treatment includes lifestyle modifications, bladder retraining, pelvic floor exercises and pharmacological therapy. However, these measures are unsuccessful in 25-40% of women (refractory OAB). Before considering invasive treatments, such as Botulinum toxin injection or sacral neuromodulation, most guidelines recommend urodynamics to confirm diagnosis of detrusor overactivity (DO). However, urodynamics may fail to show evidence of DO in up to 45% of cases, hence the need to evaluate its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. FUTURE (Female Urgency, Trial of Urodynamics as Routine Evaluation) aims to test the hypothesis that, in women with refractory OAB, urodynamics and comprehensive clinical assessment is associated with superior patient-reported outcomes following treatment and is more cost-effective, compared to comprehensive clinical assessment only.

METHODS

FUTURE is a pragmatic, multi-centre, superiority randomised controlled trial. Women aged ≥ 18 years with refractory OAB or urgency predominant mixed urinary incontinence, and who have failed/not tolerated conservative and medical treatment, are considered for trial entry. We aim to recruit 1096 women from approximately 60 secondary/tertiary care hospitals across the UK. All consenting women will complete questionnaires at baseline, 3 months, 6 months and 15 months post-randomisation. The primary outcome is participant-reported success at 15 months post-randomisation measured using the Patient Global Impression of Improvement. The primary economic outcome is incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year gained at 15 months. The secondary outcomes include adverse events, impact on other urinary symptoms and health-related quality of life. Qualitative interviews with participants and clinicians and a health economic evaluation will also be conducted. The statistical analysis of the primary outcome will be by intention-to-treat. Results will be presented as estimates and 95% CIs.

DISCUSSION

The FUTURE study will inform patients, clinicians and policy makers whether routine urodynamics improves treatment outcomes in women with refractory OAB and whether it is cost-effective.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN63268739 . Registered on 14 September 2017.

Tadalafil Alone or in Combination with Tamsulosin for the Management for LUTS/BPH and ED

Purpose of Review

Aim of our systematic review is to evaluate and summarize the efficacy and safety of tadalafil alone or in combination with tamsulosin for the management of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)/benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and erectile dysfunction (ED).

Recent Findings

Daily tadalafil, in particular 5 mg, according to retrieved studies, appears to be both safe and effective in treating LUTS/BPH and ED, compared with placebo or tamsulosin. The combination of daily tadalafil 5 mg and tamsulosin 0.4 mg allows a better improvement of LUTS compared with both the monotherapies, even if with an increased, but acceptable and tolerated, adverse events rate. After discontinuation of tamsulosin or tadalafil in patients previously treated with their combination, the improvement of LUTS retains significance compared with baseline.

Summary

Tadalafil 5 mg should be considered a primary treatment option for patients with LUTS/BPH and ED. Evidence highlight an excellent tolerability, safety, and effectiveness profile, both alone or in combination with tamsulosin 0.4 mg. A better efficacy on LUTS relief has been observed for combination therapy, preserving also sexual function. The further switch to monotherapy allows to preserve LUTS relief, but tadalafil only is able to retain ED improvement. Our results support the evidence for a more and more tailored and modular LUTS treatment.

The logistical management of tertiary urethral disease in the United Kingdom: Implications from an online audit of male reconstructive urethral surgery

Objective:

To determine those patient groupings, based on volume and risk, whose optimal urethral reconstructive management might be provided by a reorganisation of UK reconstructive surgeons.

Methods:

Between 2010 and 2017, ~689 men/year were enrolled onto an online audit platform collecting data about urethral reconstruction in the UK; this accrual was compared against hospital episode statistics (HES). The available workforce, and where this was based, was collected. Individual and institutional incumbent patient volumes, pathology, surgical complexity and outcomes from treatment were collated to stratify volume/risk groups.

Results:

More than 90% of all HES-recorded data were accrued, being provided by 50 surgeons at 39 operative sites. Most reconstructive surgery was provided at 10 centres performing >20 procedures/year. More than 50% of all interventions were of a high-volume low-risk type. Of activity, 32.3% was intermediate volume or moderate risk, and 12.5% of men presented for lower-volume or higher-risk procedures.

Conclusion:

Correlation of detailed volume/outcome data allows the definition of patient populations presenting for urethral reconstruction. Stratification of each group’s management, to optimise the surgical outcome, may be applied to a hierarchical service delivery model based on the complexity of the patient’s presenting urethral pathology.

Level of evidence:

Level IV

Urodynamics for Prostate Surgery Trial; Randomised Evaluation of Assessment Methods (UPSTREAM) for diagnosis and management of bladder outlet obstruction in men: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) comprise storage symptoms, voiding symptoms and post-voiding symptoms. Prevalence and severity of LUTS increase with age and the progressive increase in the aged population group has emphasised the importance to our society of appropriate and effective management of male LUTS. Identification of causal mechanisms is needed to optimise treatment and uroflowmetry is the simplest non-invasive test of voiding function. Invasive urodynamics can evaluate storage function and voiding function; however, there is currently insufficient evidence to support urodynamics becoming part of routine practice in the clinical evaluation of male LUTS.

Design

A 2-arm trial, set in urology departments of at least 26 National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in the United Kingdom (UK), randomising men with bothersome LUTS for whom surgeons would consider offering surgery, between a care pathway based on urodynamic tests with invasive multichannel cystometry and a care pathway based on non-invasive routine tests. The aim of the trial is to determine whether a care pathway not including invasive urodynamics is no worse for men in terms of symptom outcome than one in which it is included, at 18 months after randomisation. This primary clinical outcome will be measured with the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). We will also establish whether inclusion of invasive urodynamics reduces rates of bladder outlet surgery as a main secondary outcome.

Discussion

The general population has an increased life-expectancy and, as men get older, their prostates enlarge and potentially cause benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) which often requires surgery. Furthermore, voiding symptoms become increasingly prevalent, some of which may not be due to BPO. Therefore, as the population ages, more operations will be considered to relieve BPO, some of which may not actually be appropriate. Hence, there is sustained interest in the diagnostic pathway and this trial could improve the chances of an accurate diagnosis and reduce overall numbers of surgical interventions for BPO in the NHS. The morbidity, and therapy costs, of testing must be weighed against the cost saving of surgery reduction.

Trial registration

Controlled-trials.com - ISRCTN56164274 (confirmed registration: 8 April 2014).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-015-1087-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Nocturia: risk factors and associated comorbidities; findings from the EpiLUTS study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the risk factors and comorbidities associated with nocturia in men and women aged ≥ 40 years.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The EpiLUTS study was an Internet-based cross-sectional, population-representative survey involving 30,000 men and women from the USA, UK and Sweden evaluating lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) using the LUTS Tool. A secondary analysis of the EpiLUTS data using participants with nocturia was performed. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the data. Logistic regressions were used to analyse associations of comorbid conditions and risk factors in men and women with nocturia ≥ 2.

RESULTS

With a 59% response rate, nocturia ≥ 1 was quite common at 69% in men and 76% in women; 28% men and 34% women had nocturia ≥ 2. Age, body mass index (in women), Hispanic and Black responders, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety and depression and a history of bed-wetting were significantly associated with nocturia ≥ 2. Arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, bladder infection, uterine prolapse, hysterectomy and menopausal status were all significantly associated with nocturia ≥ 2 in women. Prostatitis and prostate cancer were significant in men with nocturia ≥ 2. British and Swedish participants had a lesser risk of nocturia ≥ 2.

CONCLUSION

Nocturia is a highly prevalent condition associated with various risk factors and comorbidities. Treatment of nocturia should be aimed at these causes in a multidisciplinary fashion. Further studies are needed to look specifically at these conditions in the pathophysiology of nocturia.

Durable improvements in urinary incontinence and positive treatment response in patients with idiopathic overactive bladder syndrome following long-term onabotulinumtoxinA treatment: Final results of 3.5-year study

OBJECTIVES

Here we present the final results from an extension study assessing long-term onabotulinumtoxinA treatment (3.5 years) in patients with idiopathic overactive bladder.

METHODS

Patients who completed either of 2 Phase III trials were eligible to enter a 3-year extension study in which they received multiple onabotulinumtoxinA (100 U) treatments. Data were analyzed for the overall population of patients who received 100 U in any treatment cycle (n=829) and within discrete subgroups of patients who received exactly 1 (n=105), 2 (n=118), 3 (n=117), 4 (n=83), 5 (n=46), or 6 (n=33) treatments of the 100 U dose throughout the study (n=502).

RESULTS

Of the 829 patients enrolled, 51.7 % completed the study. Discontinuations due to AEs/lack of efficacy were low (5.1/5.7 %); other reasons were not treatment-related. Mean reductions from baseline in urinary incontinence (UI) episodes/day (week 12; co-primary endpoint) were consistent among discrete subgroups who received 1 (-3.1), 2 (-2.9, -3.2), 3 (-4.1 to -4.5), 4 (-3.4 to -3.8), 5 (-3.0 to -3.6), or 6 (-3.1 to -4.1) treatments. A consistently high proportion of patients reported improvement/great improvement on the Treatment Benefit Scale (week 12; co-primary endpoint) in the discrete subgroups across all treatments (70.0-93.5 %). Median time to request retreatment was ≤6 months for 34.2 %, >6-≤12 months for 37.2 %, and >12 months for 28.5 % of patients. Most common AE was UTI, with no changes in safety profile over time.

CONCLUSION

Long-term onabotulinumtoxinA treatment resulted in consistent reductions in UI and high proportions of patients reporting improvement after each treatment, with no new safety findings.

[AN EVIDENCE BASED UPDATE ON THE INVESTIGATION AND MANAGEMENT OF MALE LOWER URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS]

In this review, we aim to summarise the evidence regarding the diagnosis and management of male Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). It is inevitable that with an ageing population the prevalence of male LUTS is likely to increase. Thus symptom prevention and preservation of quality oflife (QoL) feature as high priorities for clinicians and patients alike. There are now a number of different pharmacological options available to men with LUTS which lead to significant improvements in symptom scores, flow rate and QoL. Meta-analyses have shown the benefits for 5-α reductase inhibitors, antimuscarinics, alpha blockers and more recently the phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. High level evidence also exists for combinations of all of the above agents with alpha blockers except phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors and so men with concomitant storage symptoms, prostate volume >30ml/ PSA>1.4 or erectile dysfunction may be considered for combination treatment. The last few years have seen an increase in the data regarding less invasive methods of cystometry. Although these do not provide the same information as cystometry, they may have a role in answering specific questions and counselling men with BPH/LUTS. The key to incorporating these newer techniques in the assessment of men will lie with standardisation and use for specific indications. In an era of personalised medicine, appropriate patient selection is likely to provide the key to the most effective clinical investigative and management strategy.

Femoral nerve infusion after primary total knee arthroplasty: a prospective, double-blind, randomised and placebo-controlled trial

Objectives

Effective analgesia after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) improves patient satisfaction, mobility and expedites discharge. This study assessed whether continuous femoral nerve infusion (CFNI) was superior to a single-shot femoral nerve block in primary TKA surgery completed under subarachnoid blockade including morphine.

Methods

We performed an adequately powered, prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled trial comparing CFNI of 0.125% bupivacaine versus normal saline following a single-shot femoral nerve block and subarachnoid anaesthesia with intrathecal morphine for primary TKA. Patients were randomised to either treatment (CFNI 0 ml to 10 ml/h 0.125% bupivacaine) or placebo (CFNI 0 ml to 10 ml/h normal saline). Both groups received a single-shot femoral nerve block (0.25% 20 ml bupivacaine) prior to placement of femoral nerve catheter and subarachnoid anaesthesia with intrathecal morphine. All patients had a standardised analgesic protocol. The primary end point was post-operative visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score over 72 hours post-surgery. Secondary outcomes were morphine equivalent dose, range of movement, side effects, and length of stay.

Results

A total of 86 patients were recruited. Treatment and placebo groups were comparable. No significant difference was found in VAS pain scores, total morphine equivalent requirements, side effects, range of movement, motor block, or length of hospital stay.

Conclusion

No significant advantage was found for CFNI over a single-shot femoral block and subarachnoid anaesthesia after TKA.

Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2015;4:11–16.

Is there a link between overactive bladder and the metabolic syndrome in women? A systematic review of observational studies

OBJECTIVES

To conduct a systematic review to determine whether there is an association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) or overactive bladder (OAB) in women.

METHODS

We systematically reviewed English language observational studies on the effect of MetS (or component factors) on the presence of OAB or LUTS in women. We searched PubMed, Web of Science and The Cochrane Library with no date restrictions, checked reference lists and undertook citation searches in PubMed and Google Scholar. Studies were assessed for risk of bias. Because of heterogeneity, results were not pooled, but are reported narratively.

RESULTS

Of 27 included studies, only three looked at the link between MetS and OAB. The rest looked at links between OAB and components of MetS such as obesity or insulin resistance (n = 10), between MetS and urinary symptoms (n = 3) and between urinary symptoms and components of MetS, such as obesity (n = 14). Evidence is currently limited, but it does suggest that there may be important links between MetS and OAB and components of MetS such as obesity.

CONCLUSIONS

The literature on MetS and OAB or LUTS in women is limited, and poor quality. However, the evidence available on obesity appears to support MetS as a contributor and predictor of LUTS in women. Many of the women with LUTS will be overweight and will have features of the MetS, if looked for. This provides not only an opportunity to encourage weight loss as an adjunct to therapy for the OAB symptoms but also a window of opportunity to address cardiovascular risk factors and prevent future cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

OnabotulinumtoxinA 100U provides significant improvements in overactive bladder symptoms in patients with urinary incontinence regardless of the number of anticholinergic therapies used or reason for inadequate management of overactive bladder

INTRODUCTION

A prespecified pooled analysis of two placebo-controlled, phase 3 trials evaluated whether the number of prior anticholinergics used or reason for their discontinuation affected the treatment response to onabotulinumtoxinA 100U in overactive bladder (OAB) patients with urinary incontinence (UI).

METHODS

Patients with symptoms of OAB received intradetrusor injections of onabotulinumtoxinA 100U or placebo, sparing the trigone. Change from baseline at week 12 in UI episodes/day, proportion of patients reporting a positive response ('greatly improved' or 'improved') on the treatment benefit scale (TBS), micturition and urgency were evaluated by number of prior anticholinergics (1, 2 or ≥ 3) and reason for their discontinuation (insufficient efficacy or side effects). Adverse events (AE) were assessed.

RESULTS

Patients had taken an average of 2.4 anticholinergics before study enrolment. OnabotulinumtoxinA reduced UI episodes/day from baseline vs. placebo, regardless of the number of prior anticholinergics (-2.82 vs. -1.52 for one prior anticholinergic; -2.58 vs. -0.58 for two prior anticholinergics; and -2.92 vs. -0.73 for three or more prior anticholinergics; all p < 0.001). The proportion of TBS responders was higher with onabotulinumtoxinA vs. placebo (69.0% vs. 37.2% for one prior anticholinergic; 58.8% vs. 24.8% for two prior anticholinergics and 56.4% vs. 22.5% for three or more prior anticholinergics; all p < 0.001). Similar results were observed regardless of the reason for discontinuation. OnabotulinumtoxinA reduced the episodes of urgency and frequency of micturition vs. placebo in all groups. AEs were well tolerated, with a comparable incidence in all groups.

CONCLUSION

In patients with symptoms of OAB who were inadequately managed by one or more anticholinergics, onabotulinumtoxinA 100U provided significant and similar treatment benefit and safety profile regardless of the number of prior anticholinergics used or reason for inadequate management of OAB. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00910845, NCT00910520.

Erectile dysfunction and lower urinary tract symptoms: a consensus on the importance of co-diagnosis

Despite differences in design, many large epidemiological studies using well-powered multivariate analyses consistently provide overwhelming evidence of a link between erectile dysfunction (ED) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Preclinical evidence suggests that several common pathophysiological mechanisms are involved in the development of both ED and LUTS. We recommend that patients seeking consultation for one condition should always be screened for the other condition. We propose that co-diagnosis would ensure that patient management accounts for all possible co-morbid and associated conditions. Medical, socio-demographic and lifestyle risk factors can help to inform diagnoses and should be taken into consideration during the initial consultation. Awareness of risk factors may alert physicians to patients at risk of ED or LUTS and so allow them to manage patients accordingly; early diagnosis of ED in patients with LUTS, for example, could help reduce the risk of subsequent cardiovascular disease. Prescribing physicians should be aware of the sexual adverse effects of many treatments currently recommended for LUTS; sexual function should be evaluated prior to commencement of treatment, and monitored throughout treatment to ensure that the choice of drug is appropriate.

[Urinary incontinence in the elderly: what can and should be done?]

The demographic development of society shows a clear increase in the elderly population in the coming decades, which will result in an increasing prevalence of urinary incontinence. Diagnosis and treatment of many patients is not carried out for a myriad of reasons and thus incontinence care is often inadequate. A detailed medical history is the basis of identification of the problem and underpins the effective diagnostic and therapeutic management of the problem. In this context, the algorithms based on the national and international guidelines and age-specific characteristics should be considered. The initial focus should be on conservative management. In a few cases of elderly patients, invasive diagnostics using urodynamics or cystoscopy might be indicated. The increased use of medication in the elderly both from an etiological and therapeutic point of view, especially in terms of drug/drug interactions requires special consideration. In particular cognitive impairment using pharmacological approaches should be avoided. Although incontinence surgery of the patient applies less often with increasing age it still plays a role in the appropriate selection of treatment.

New once-daily formulation for trospium in overactive bladder

AIMS We examined the relative efficacy and safety of trospium 20 mg bid and 60 mg extended release formulations and position this drug against other antimuscarinic agents.

METHODS

Data were identified on the pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of trospium chloride. Key publications on trospium 20-mg and 60-mg clinical studies in patients with overactive bladder (OAB) were identified and efficacy and safety compared between these formulations as well as other antimuscarinic agents.

RESULTS

Trospium offers the principal advantage over other antimuscarinic agents that, as it is a quaternary amine, it does not cross the blood-brain barrier and is therefore less likely to cause central nervous system effects observed with several other agents. Moreover, with its minimal liver metabolisation, independent of the main cytochrome pathways, trospium has a low risk of drug-drug interaction in patients taking multiple pharmacological agents. Trospium 60 mg ER is as effective as trospium 20 mg bid in improving the key outcome parameters associated with OAB, but with a lower rate of dry mouth, the most common side effect of these agents. Trospium has comparable efficacy and safety to the other antimuscarinic agents currently marketed.

DISCUSSION

Good patient persistence with treatment has been reported with trospium. There are currently a large number of antimuscarinic drugs on the market without clear evidence to distinguish one agent from another in terms of efficacy, provided that an adequate dose is used in the clinical setting.

CONCLUSION

The new formulation of trospium is certainly worth considering as a pharmacological treatment of patients with OAB, particularly in the elderly, in whom one wants to avoid the potential for cognitive dysfunction.

Pelvic organ prolapse and overactive bladder

AIMS

In this review we try to shed light on the following questions: *How frequently are symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB) and is detrusor overactivity (DO) present in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and is there a difference from women without POP? *Does the presence of OAB symptoms depend on the prolapsed compartment and/or stage of the prolapse? *What is the possible pathophysiology of OAB in POP? *Do OAB symptoms and DO change after conservative or surgical treatment of POP?

METHODS

We searched on Medline and Embase for relevant studies. We only included studies in which actual data about OAB symptoms were available. All data for prolapse surgery were without the results of concomitant stress urinary incontinence (SUI) surgery.

RESULTS

Community- and hospital-based studies showed that the prevalence of OAB symptoms was greater in patients with POP than without POP. No evidence was found for a relationship between the compartment or stage of the prolapse and the presence of OAB symptoms. All treatments for POP (surgery, pessaries) resulted in an improvement in OAB symptoms. It is unclear what predicts whether OAB symptoms disappear or not. When there is concomitant DO and POP, following POP surgery DO disappear in a proportion of the patients. Bladder outlet obstruction is likely to be the most important mechanism by which POP induces OAB symptoms and DO signs. However, several other mechanisms might also play a role.

CONCLUSIONS

There are strong indications that there is a causal relationship between OAB and POP.

Overactive Bladder and Continence Guidelines: implementation, inaction or frustration?

Guidelines for the management of continence and overactive bladder are generally available across Europe. For a majority of countries, these have been adopted by professional societies in either urology or gynaecology for local use. There has, however, been little monitoring of formal implementation of these guidelines and seldom any attempt to audit their operation. The state of continence care therefore remains largely unknown. This article reviews current guidelines and their status across Europe and examines what might be relevant from other disease areas to promote successful implementation.

Diagnosis and treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of overactive bladder and bladder outlet obstruction among men in general practice in the UK

OBJECTIVE

To assess the epidemiology and treatment of storage symptoms suggestive of overactive bladder (OAB) and voiding symptoms suggestive of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) because of benign prostatic hyperplasia in UK general practice.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of data collected between 2000 and 2006 and entered in The Health Improvement Network general practice database, containing medical records for > 1 million men (aged >or= 18 years) in the UK. Using Read codes, we analysed the prevalence of storage and voiding lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) as well as prescribing trends for 5alpha-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs) and alpha-blockers for LUTS secondary to BOO and antimuscarinics for OAB.

RESULTS

In 2006, the prevalence of diagnosed LUTS/OAB was only 0.3% and the recorded prevalence of LUTS/BOO was only 2.2%. Treatment rates also remained low throughout the study period. In the 12 months before 1 January 2006, only 25% of men diagnosed with OAB and 6-7% of men with storage LUTS received antimuscarinics, whereas 36% of men with a record of LUTS/BOO received alpha-blockers and/or 5ARIs. Alpha-blockers were prescribed to approximately 10% of men diagnosed with OAB or storage LUTS who did not have any recorded BOO diagnosis or symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Diagnosis of both storage and voiding LUTS occurs at much lower rates than indicated by prevalence estimates. Despite the availability of effective prescription therapies, many men with storage and/or voiding LUTS may not be receiving appropriate treatment in UK general practice.

Darifenacin treatment of patients >or= 65 years with overactive bladder: results of a randomized, controlled, 12-week trial

BACKGROUND

Overactive bladder (OAB) increases in prevalence with advancing age. This study specifically investigated patients >or= 65 years, evaluating the efficacy, tolerability, safety and quality of life (QoL) outcomes from darifenacin treatment.

METHODS

Patients (n = 400, mean age 72 years) with OAB were randomized (2:1) to receive 12 weeks of double-blind treatment with darifenacin (7.5 mg once daily for 2 weeks, then optional titration to 15 mg daily) or placebo (with sham titration). Efficacy, tolerability and safety were assessed from patient diary data, adverse events and discontinuations and QoL outcomes using specific questionnaires.

RESULTS

Mean urgency urinary incontinence episodes (UUIEs) decreased significantly from baseline to Week 12 with both darifenacin (-88.6%) and placebo (-77.9%; p > 0.05), with 70% and 58% patients responding with >or= 50% reductions, respectively (p = 0.021). This was accompanied by significant differences between groups in reductions in micturition frequency (-25.3% with darifenacin vs. -18.5% placebo; p < 0.01). QoL assessments revealed significant improvements with darifenacin versus placebo at Week 12 in OAB-q, Patient Perception of Bladder Condition, and patient and physician assessments of treatment benefit (all p < 0.001). The most commonly reported adverse events were dry mouth and constipation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that marked improvements in OAB symptoms can be achieved in patients >or= 65 years, with significant treatment differences in responder rates, micturition frequency and QoL. Reduction in UUIEs may not be the optimal endpoint in this population, whereas QoL appears to be a sensitive and relevant patient-oriented measure of treatment effect.

Bladder afferent sensitivity in wild-type and TRPV1 knockout mice

Understanding bladder afferent pathways may reveal novel targets for therapy of lower urinary tract disorders such as overactive bladder syndrome and cystitis. Several potential candidate molecules have been postulated as playing a significant role in bladder function. One such candidate is the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channel. Mice lacking the TRPV1 channel have altered micturition thresholds suggesting that TRPV1 channels may play a role in the detection of bladder filling. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the role of TRPV1 receptors in controlling bladder afferent sensitivity in the mouse using pharmacological receptor blockade and genetic deletion of the channel. Multiunit afferent activity was recorded in vitro from bladder afferents taken from wild-type (TRPV+/+) mice and knockout (TRPV1-/-) mice. In wild-type preparations, ramp distension of the bladder to a maximal pressure of 40 mmHg produced a graded increase in afferent activity. Bath application of the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine (10 mum) caused a significant attenuation of afferent discharge in TRPV1+/+ mice. Afferent responses to distension were significantly attenuated in TRPV1-/- mice in which sensitivity to intravesical hydrochloric acid (50 mm) and capsaicin (10 microm) were also blunted. Altered mechanosensitivity occurred in the absence of any changes in the pressure-volume relationship during filling indicating that this was not secondary to a change in bladder compliance. Single-unit analysis was used to classify individual afferents into low-threshold and high-threshold fibres. Low threshold afferent responses were attenuated in TRPV1-/- mice compared to the TRPV1+/+ littermates while surprisingly high threshold afferent sensitivity was unchanged. While TRPV1 channels are not considered to be mechanically gated, the present study demonstrates a clear role for TRPV1 in the excitability of particularly low threshold bladder afferents. This suggests that TRPV1 may play an important role in normal bladder function.

Overactive bladder: The importance of new guidance

Overactive bladder (OAB) affects an estimated 49 million people in Europe, but only a minority receive appropriate treatment. Others are bothered by unacceptable levels of symptoms that severely impair their quality of life and represent a significant financial burden to themselves and to their healthcare providers. Recently updated guidelines from the International Consultation on Incontinence (ICI) and the European Association of Urology (EAU) take account of important new developments in the management of bladder problems in both primary and secondary care. However, local implementation of previous guidance has been variable, with many patients with OAB and other bladder problems failing to gain full benefit from current clinical and scientific understanding of these conditions. The recent expansion of the range of treatments available for OAB and stress urinary incontinence makes it especially important that physicians become aware of the differential diagnosis of these conditions - the questions they need to ask, and the investigations which will help determine the most appropriate course of action.

Systematic review and evaluation of methods of assessing urinary incontinence

OBJECTIVES

To identify and synthesise studies of diagnostic processes of urinary incontinence and to construct an economic model to examine the cost-effectiveness of simple, commonly used primary care tests.

DATA SOURCES

The electronic databases MEDLINE (1966--2002), CINAHL (1982--2002) and EMBASE (1980--2002).

REVIEW METHODS

Studies were selected and assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Studies (QUADAS) tool. Studies that reported the results of applying the same diagnostic procedure using the same threshold value (cut-off) were pooled using a random effects meta-analysis model to produce pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio together with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

In total, 6009 papers were identified from the literature search, of which 129 were deemed relevant for inclusion in the review, and these papers compared two or more diagnostic techniques. The gold-standard diagnostic test for urinary incontinence with which each reference test was compared was multichannel urodynamics. In general, reporting in the primary studies was poor; there was a lack of literature in the key clinical areas and minimal literature dealing with diagnosis in men. Only a limited number of studies could be combined or synthesised, providing the following results when compared with multichannel urodynamics. A clinical history for diagnosing urodynamic stress incontinence (USI) in women was found to have a sensitivity of 0.92 and specificity of 0.56 and for detrusor overactivity (DO) a sensitivity of 0.61 and specificity of 0.87. For validated scales, question 3 of the Urogenital Distress Inventory was found to have a sensitivity of 0.88 and specificity of 0.60. Seven studies compared a pad test with multichannel urodynamics; however, four different pad tests were studied and therefore it was difficult to draw any conclusions about diagnostic accuracy. Of the four studies comparing urinary diary with multichannel urodynamics, only one presented data in a format that allowed sensitivity and specificity to be calculated. Their reported values of 0.88 and 0.83 suggest that a urinary diary may be effective in the diagnosis of DO in women. Examination of the incremental cost-effectiveness of three primary care tests used in addition to history found that the diary had the lowest cost-effectiveness ratio of between pound 35 and pound 77 per extra unit of effectiveness (or case diagnosed). Imaging by ultrasound to determine leakage was found to be effective in the diagnosis of USI in women, with a sensitivity of 0.94 and specificity of 0.83.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first systematic review of methods for diagnosing urinary incontinence. As reporting of the primary studies was poor, clinical interpretation was often difficult because few studies could be synthesised and conclusions made. The report found that a large proportion of women with USI can be correctly diagnosed in primary care from clinical history alone. On the basis of diagnosis the diary appears to be the most cost-effective of the three primary care tests (diary, pad test and validated scales) used in addition to clinical history. Ultrasound imaging may offer a valuable alternative to urodynamic investigation. The clinical stress test is effective in the diagnosis of USI. Adaptation of such a test so that it could be performed in primary care with a naturally filled bladder may prove clinically useful. If a patient is to undergo an invasive urodynamic procedure, multichannel urodynamics is likely to give the most accurate result in a secondary care setting. There is a dearth of literature on the diagnosis of urinary incontinence in men, with no studies meeting the study criteria for data extraction in the diagnosis of bladder outlet obstruction. There is a need for large-scale, high-quality primary studies evaluating the use of a number of diagnostic methods in a primary care setting to be undertaken so that the results of this systematic review can be verified or not. Such studies should include not only an assessment of clinical effectiveness, in this case diagnostic accuracy, but also an assessment of costs and quality of life/satisfaction to inform future health policy decisions. Studies carried out should be reported to a better standard. The recommendations of the Standards for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) initiative should be followed to ensure the accuracy and completeness of reporting design and results.

Nocturia: morbidity and management in adults

Nocturia is an increasingly prevalent and bothersome urinary symptom associated with considerable impact and morbidity in later life. Nocturnal frequency is associated with a number of underlying pathologies, both related and unrelated to the lower urinary tract. Following careful assessment, diagnosis and management, the condition is amenable to amelioration, if not complete cure in the majority of cases. This paper outlines the epidemiology, underlying pathophysiology and diseases associated with nocturia and reviews current treatment strategies.

Long-term open-label solifenacin treatment associated with persistence with therapy in patients with overactive bladder syndrome

OBJECTIVE

To examine safety and tolerability findings as primary endpoints, and efficacy outcomes as secondary endpoints, of solifenacin treatment over a period of up to 1 year. Long-term efficacy in the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome depends in part on the patient's persistence with pharmacologic therapy. Agents with a favourable therapeutic index supporting high levels of patient satisfaction and persistence are needed.

METHODS

The present study was a 40-week open-label extension of two 12-week, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies of solifenacin treatment in patients with OAB. Patients who completed the 12-week studies were offered participation in the open-label extension study. All patients who entered the open-label extension study initially received solifenacin 5 mg daily for 4 weeks, after which a flexible dosing regimen allowed patients to individualise their treatment (5 mg or 10 mg) at each of the 3 study visits. Safety and tolerability assessments (the primary variable) included adverse event reporting. Efficacy data were collected from micturition diaries completed at weeks 16, 28, 40, and 52.

RESULTS

Ninety-one percent (1637/1802) of patients who completed the two 12-week randomised studies chose to participate in the long-term open-label extension study. A total of 81% of patients completed 40 weeks of open-label treatment. Solifenacin treatment was safe and well tolerated, and rates of anticholinergic side effects were relatively low. Only 4.7% of patients discontinued treatment owing to adverse events. Improvements in major symptoms of OAB were noted for all patients for up to 52 weeks of treatment. In patients randomised to solifenacin in the double-blind studies, there were small incremental improvements in all efficacy parameters (reductions in episodes per 24 hours of urgency, reductions in frequency and urge incontinence, and increases in volume voided per micturition) over the course of the extension study. Efficacy was confirmed when outcomes were assessed as a function of total solifenacin exposure. Patient satisfaction with solifenacin tolerability (85%) and efficacy (74%) were high. These results indicate that long-term treatment with solifenacin was well tolerated and associated with improvements in efficacy parameters based on patient diary data recorded over the 12-month treatment period. Moreover, the high level of patient satisfaction reported appeared to correlate well with the quantified improvements in key symptoms demonstrated in this study.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term therapy with solifenacin resulted in a favourable tolerability profile, and was associated with improvements in efficacy parameters based on diary data recorded over a 12-month period. This balance of tolerability and efficacy with solifenacin was associated with excellent persistence with therapy. These results suggest that solifenacin may be useful for the long-term treatment of the chronic symptoms associated with OAB.