BERKELEY, CA (UroToday.com) - Despite the many clinical studies conducted which report positive outcomes with magnetic stimulation (MS) for urinary incontinence (UI),[1, 2, 3] the 5th International Consultation on Incontinence highlighted that no recommendation is possible based on current evidence.[4]
In our meta-analysis, we selected only randomized, blinded and sham-controlled trials. However, there were only few studies which had good methodological quality and most lacked statistical power which made it onerous for us to confirm the magnitude of the analysis.
Based on the meta-analysis, patients undergoing active treatment would have 2.3 times the likelihood of having their continence improved compared to sham treatment (Figure). MS improved incontinence symptoms in urgency urinary incontinence and mixed urinary incontinence. In contrast, there were conflicting results in stress urinary incontinence, while the only study on overactive bladder reported negative results.
The reader of our article should interpret our results cautiously due to the limitations of the studies as detailed in the full article. The paucity of well-designed studies led us to conclude that there is no firm evidence to support the use of MS for UI, although short-term outcomes suggest that MS improves UI symptoms in females. Indeed, many key issues remain; is MS effective for UI, how many sessions are needed, how long can the effects last, and is maintenance therapy required? This meta-analysis provides us with a tremendous platform to design a better protocol to address these outstanding issues. Our randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial is currently ongoing.
References:
- Galloway NT, El-Galley RE, Sand PK, et al. Update on extracorporeal magnetic innervation (EXMI) therapy for stress urinary incontinence. Urology 2000;56:82-6.
- Yamanishi T, Yasuda K, Suda S, et al. Effect of functional continuous magnetic stimulation for urinary incontinence. Journal of Urology 2000;163:456-9.
- Quek P. A critical review on magnetic stimulation: what is its role in the management of pelvic floor disorders? Current Opinion in Urology 2005;15:231-5.
- Moore K, Dumoulin C, Bradley C, et al. Adult Conservative Management. In: Abrams P CL, Khoury S, Wein A, editor. ICUD-EAU 5th International Consultation on Incontinence. 5th edition ed. Paris: ICUD-EAU; 2013. p. 1101-228.
Written by:
Renly Lim,a Shaun Wen Huey Lee,b Men Long Liong,c and Kah Hay Yuena as part of Beyond the Abstract on UroToday.com. This initiative offers a method of publishing for the professional urology community. Authors are given an opportunity to expand on the circumstances, limitations etc... of their research by referencing the published abstract.
aSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Science Malaysia, USM, Penang, Malaysia
bSchool of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
cDepartment of Urology, Island Hospital, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
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