Electrical Stimulation with Non-Implanted Electrodes for Overactive Bladder in Adults

Summary

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 19 studies which reported the primary outcomes of perception of cure or improvement in overactive bladder syndrome (OAB). Electrical stimulation was compared with no treatment, sham, pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), and drugs. More participants were cured or improvedwith electrical stimulation compared with placebo or sham treatment (RR 2.26, 95% CI1.85 to 2.77; 10 trials, n= 677; 4 to 12 weeks), but with no clear improvement in urgency urinary incontinence (RR 5.03, 95% CI 0.28 to 89.88; 2 trials, n=242). There was no clear difference when electrical stimulation was compared with drug therapy (number of participants cured RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.41; 7 trials, n=388; cured or improved RR 1.20, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.38; 8 trials, n=439). There was inconclusive evidence for OAB-related quality of life when electrical stimulation was compared to no active treatment, placebo/sham or biofeedback-assisted PFMT, or when stimulation was added to PFMT compared to PFMT-only.