SUFU 2021: Vaginal Lasers for Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women: A Cochrane Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
74 records were screened and 6 were included comprising 478 participants. Notably, 16 studies are ongoing clinical trials. The outcome time points ranged from 6 weeks to 6 months. The number of continent women, on clinician assessment, is probably similar between women treated with vaginal laser vs. no laser (RR 0.97 95% CI 0.60 to 1.57; very low CoE). There is likely no difference between the effect of vaginal lasers vs no laser on patient-reported incontinence (ICIQ-UI-SF) (MD 2.66 [95% CI -3.94 to 1.39]; Low CoE). No trials reported major adverse events.
On secondary outcomes, the number of continent women, by patient-reported ICIQ-UI-SF score of 0, maybe higher among women treated with vaginal laser vs not (RR 6.50 [95% CI 1.54-27.49]; low CoE). Incontinence-specific quality of life (Urinary Distress Inventory-6), may be improved by vaginal laser (MD -15.6 95% [CI -22.59, -8.61]; Low CoE). There is likely no difference between patient-reported sexual function (Female Sexual Function Index) among women treated with vaginal laser vs. not (MD - 0.86 [95% CI -3.35, 1.63]; Low CoE). The number of minor adverse events is similar between women treated with vaginal laser vs. not (RR 1.76 [95% CI 0.44-7.06]; Low CoE). The findings were consistent in subgroup comparisons of laser vs. sham or laser vs. topical estrogen. Vaginal lasers appear to have little to no effect on continence based on clinician or patient measures.
Presented by: Giulia I. Lane, Paholo Barboglio Romo, Irene Crescenze, Daniel Raza, J. Quentin Clemens, Philipp Dahm, Priyanka Gupta, Dept. of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2Dept. of Urology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 3Tulane University School of Medicine, 4Urology, Minneapolis VA Medical Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, Department of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Written by: Diane K. Newman, DNP, CRNP, FAAN, BCB-PMD, Nurse Practioner and Co-Director, Penn Center for Continence and Pelvic Health Adjunct Professor of Urology in Surgery during the 2021 Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU) Winter Meeting.