To compare the effects of parasacral transcutaneous electrical stimulation with the effects of transcutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation in women with overactive bladder syndrome (OAB).
A randomized clinical trial was performed with 50 women aged 40-76 years with symptoms of OAB, divided into two groups: the parasacral transcutaneous electrical stimulation (PS) group and the transcutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTN) group. Both groups underwent the same protocol, at home, for 6 weeks, applying electrical stimulation three times per week. The tools used for evaluation were the King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ), the Overactive Bladder-Validated 8-question Awareness Tool (OAB-V8) and the Incontinence Severity Index (ISI). Statistical analysis was undertaken using independent t-test, Mann-Whitney test, Chi-squared test and generalized estimating equations.
After 6 weeks of treatment, OAB-V8 showed a significant improvement in the PTN group compared with the PS group (Mann-Whitney test, p = 0.019). Post-intervention, no between-group differences were seen in terms of KHQ domains, average KHQ symptom scale and proportions of categories of ISI. All variables showed a significant effect of time after 6 weeks of treatment for both groups (p < 0.005).
Both forms of transcutaneous electrical stimulation seem to be effective and safe for home treatment of women with OAB.
European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology. 2020 May 07 [Epub ahead of print]
Suzana Mallmann, Lia Ferla, Marina P Rodrigues, Luciana L Paiva, Paulo R S Sanches, Charles F Ferreira, José Geraldo L Ramos
Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address: ., Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil., School of Physical Education, Physiotherapy and Dance, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil., Research and Development Service in Biomedical Engineering, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.