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- Page navigation anchor for RE: Commentary for" App-Based Treatment of Urinary Incontinence: Is the Time Now? "RE: Commentary for" App-Based Treatment of Urinary Incontinence: Is the Time Now? "
The overall purpose of this study was to determine whether an app-based treatment was as effective as “usual care” for treating urinary incontinence (UI) [1]. Usual care consisted of pelvic floor muscle training or bladder training, pessary placement, drugs, absorbent products, or referral to a pelvic physical therapist. The researchers examined all types of UI including stress, urgency, and mixed-type. As the primary outcome, they used the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) to assess the change of UI severity from baseline to 4 months following treatment. They compared the results of this questionnaire between groups. As secondary outcomes, they looked at the change in UI-specific lower urinary tract symptoms quality of life, the number of UI episodes per day, and the overall feeling of improvement of urinary incontinence.
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This study used a parallel-arm, randomized, non-inferiority study design in the North of the Netherlands. Due to the nature of the treatment, participants and their clinicians were not blinded to the treatment. A total of 262 women were randomized into either the usual care group or the app-based treatment group. The study used a linear regression analysis to determine if the app-based treatment was non-inferior to usual care in reducing UI severity in a time frame of 4 months. Because there was no significant difference in severity of UI symptoms between groups, the result...Competing Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for RE: Commentary for" App-Based Treatment of Urinary Incontinence: Is the Time Now? "RE: Commentary for" App-Based Treatment of Urinary Incontinence: Is the Time Now? "
A randomized control trial was conducted to compare app-based treatment with standard care for urinary incontinence. Standard care was defined as any treatment deemed necessary by the PCP including medications, exercise etc. The app included exercises, reminders, and step-by-step instructions for treatment of urinary incontinence. The study took place in the Netherlands, and participants were recruited via primary care clinicians, the lay press, and social media. The diagnosis of urinary incontinence was confirmed with the Three Incontinence Questions questionnaire. All types of urinary incontinence- stress, overflow, and mixed, were included. As we discussed, this was a huge clinical implication for this study. Most previous studies focused on one type of urinary incontinence.
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Adult women who experienced at least 2 episodes of urinary incontinence per week, had access to a device such as a smart phone or tablet, and had not undergone treatment could participate. Women were randomized and 102 women were assigned to the standard care group and 93 were assigned to the app- treatment group. The primary outcome was the difference in urinary incontinence severity from baseline to 4 months. The secondary outcomes were the change in lower urinary tract symptoms quality of life and the change in urinary incontinence episodes per day from baseline to 4 months. In an intention-to treat analysis, the mean difference between both groups in change scores for urinary incon...Competing Interests: None declared.