Electroacupuncture for stress-related urinary incontinence in elderly women: data analysis from two randomised controlled studies.

To compare the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) in elderly and non-elderly women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) or stress-predominant mixed urinary incontinence (MUI).

This study was a secondary analysis of two randomised controlled trials involving 252 women with SUI and 132 women with stress-predominant MUI who were treated with the same EA regimen. Elderly women were defined as those aged >60 years. The main outcome measure was the proportion of patients with ≥50% decrease in the mean 72-hour urinary incontinence episode frequency (IEF) from baseline to week 6. Overall, 1004 women were recruited in the SUI and MUI trials. In the EA group, those with urge-predominant or balanced MUI at baseline were excluded from the current study, resulting in a sample size of 384.

Out of 384 patients with SUI or stress-predominant MUI who were treated with EA, 371 completed the study. After 6-week treatment, the proportion of women who achieved ≥50% decrease in mean 72-hour IEF from baseline was 57.3% (51/89) in the elderly group and 60.70% (173/285) in the non-elderly group; the between-group difference was not significant (3.11%, 95% CI -9.83% to 16.05%; p=0.637). Similar outcomes were observed at weeks 4, 16 and 28. Both groups showed reduction in the 72 -hour IEF, amount of urine leakage (assessed by 1-hour pad test) and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form score from baseline with no significant between-group difference. No obvious EA-related adverse events were observed during the study.

EA may be an effective and safe alternative treatment for SUI or stress-predominant MUI in both elderly and non-elderly women. Age may not affect the treatment outcomes of acupuncture.

NCT01784172, NCT02047032.

BMJ supportive & palliative care. 2020 Jan 09 [Epub ahead of print]

Biyun Sun, Yan Liu, Tongsheng Su, Yuanjie Sun, Zhishun Liu

Department of Acupuncture, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China., Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing, China., Shanxi Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xian, Shanxi, China., Department of Acupuncture, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China .