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Comparison of the Transcutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation and Drug Treatment' Effects in Women With Overactive Bladder

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Overactive Bladder Syndrome
Overactive Bladder
Interventions
Device: Transcutaneous Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation (TTNS)
Registration Number
NCT06024005
Lead Sponsor
Ege University
Brief Summary

Overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome is a symptom complex characterized by sudden urgency, frequent urination, nocturia, and urge incontinence without any identifiable organic cause, significantly impacting the quality of life. One of the most prominent symptoms is the urgency to urinate accompanied by a sudden sensation of bladder fullness.

There are various treatment options available for managing OAB, including conservative therapy, pharmacotherapy, and surgical management. High-level evidence supports solifenacin as the standard medical treatment for OAB, offering advantages such as not being affected by food intake, efficacy regardless of gender, and high bioavailability. However, it is known to cause discontinuation of treatment in many cases due to the occurrence of side effects. Posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) is a neuromodulation technique that has been internationally recognized and proven effective in the treatment of OAB, providing several advantages. It can be applied through two methods: percutaneous (PTNS) and transcutaneous (TTNS). PTNS is an invasive method that requires specialized equipment and a trained healthcare professional, which limits its routine use due to treatment costs.

In the literature, it is stated that in the treatment of OAB, alone or combined PTNS applications are superior to drug monotherapies, but there are limited studies on this subject. Therefore, the study aim was to compare the efficacy, side effects and quality of life of solifenacin and TTNS.

Detailed Description

According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 34 female patients with OAB were enrolled in the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups, with 17 individuals in each group. Patients with odd case numbers were assigned to the Oral Solifenacin group, while those with even case numbers were assigned to the TTNS group.

Prior to treatment, the sociodemographic characteristics, birth history, and past treatment information of all participants were recorded. Basic urogynecological evaluation, pelvic floor ultrasound, and urine culture were performed. To assess symptoms and quality of life, the Overactive Bladder Assessment Form (OAB-V8), Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (I-QQL), Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7), Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6), and a three-day bladder diary were used. After 6 weeks of treatment, all evaluations were repeated. The treatment regimen consisted of once-daily oral solifenacin for the medication group and 2 sessions per week, 30 minutes per session, for 12 sessions using the Urostim-2 device for the TTNS group. The stimulation intensity was increased until a motor or sensory response was obtained, and the threshold value was determined. The entire TTNS procedure was performed under the supervision of an expert physician at the Urogynecology Outpatient Clinic of Ege University Hospital. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 20.0.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
34
Inclusion Criteria
  • Female patients with a diagnosis of OAB and unresponsive to first-line treatment,
  • Absence of genito-urinary system malformations that may cause pollacullaire,
  • Volunteering to participate in the research,
  • To be literate in Turkish
Exclusion Criteria
  • Having a urinary tract infection,
  • Having pelvic organ prolapse greater than stage 2,
  • To be diagnosed with stress type urinary incontinence,
  • Having narrow-angle glaucoma, myasthenia gravis and severe gastro-intestinal diseases,
  • Patients undergoing hemodialysis,
  • Having severe liver or kidney failure,
  • Pregnancy,
  • Having a pacemaker
  • Presence of epilepsy,
  • The presence of built-in metal in the ankle
  • Open ankle wound

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Drug GroupOral Solifenacin 5mgDrug Group with Kinzy 5 mg
Device GroupTranscutaneous Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation (TTNS)Transcutaneous device group with Urostim 2
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Number of Total Daily Incontinence Episodes6 weeks

It was obtained using a three-day bladder diary. Objective. Meaningful for patients. Correlates with patients' daily activities. It may not be directly related to the severity of urine leakage. Subject to variability. Requires patient compliance. Day and night urine leakages were recorded separately by the patient for three days. The mean total score for a day was calculated.

Evaluation of Quality of Life6 weeks

The Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (I-QOL), consisting of 22 questions, was used to analyze the improvement in quality of life. It is a validated questionnaire. Higher scores indicate a better level of quality of life compared to lower scores. It is meaningful for patients. It is standardized. It takes into account the patient's daily activities. Subjective. Subject to variability. Not correlated with the severity of urine leakage.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Symptom Assessment6 weeks

Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7), was used for symptomatic evaluation and to assess the impact of symptoms on quality of life. It is a validated questionnaire. A lesser score means a better outcome. Meaningful for patients. It is standardized. The patient's daily activities are taken into account. Subjective. Subject to variability. Not correlated with the severity of urine leakage.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

🇹🇷

İzmir, Turkey

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