title: The influence of age on quality of life outcome in women following a tension-free vaginal tape procedure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) has been introduced and demonstrated to be an effective treatment for stress urinary incontinence. Improved general health in the elderly population has led to a greater number of patients seeking surgical treatment for incontinence. We evaluated the impact of TVT on quality of life in elderly patients, defined as age 70 and older.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively evaluated 67 patients with genuine stress incontinence differentiated by age into 2 groups, namely 21 who were 70 years and older, and a control group of 46 younger than 70 years, with a validated questionnaire. We assessed quality of life changes following TVT for incontinence treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the most recent followup quality of life scores improved significantly in the 2 groups (p <0.05). Stress incontinence improved significantly in the 2 groups (p <0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TVT is effective in each group. It is a viable treatment option to improve quality of life in older women with stress urinary incontinence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Generao
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Stone
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000601:surgery*; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D014621:Vagina