Treatment of stress urinary incontinence using a copolymer system: impact on quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect on quality of life (QoL) of a novel system for treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI).


METHODS
In an open, prospective, multicentre study, 42 women not previously treated by invasive therapy and with urodynamically verified SUI received 4 x 1.0 mL or 4 x 0.7 mL of non-animal stabilized hyaluronic acid/dextranomer copolymer injected transurethrally into the urethra via the Implacer device (Zuidex system, Q-Med AB, Uppsala, Sweden). QoL was assessed using the King's Health Questionnaire. The patients' perception of treatment benefit and the number of incontinence episodes/24 h were also investigated.


RESULTS
There were significant improvements over baseline in seven of 10 domains of the King's Health Questionnaire at 3 months, and these improvements were sustained at 1 year. For the change from baseline to 1 year, eight of 10 domains showed a significant positive correlation with the number of incontinence episodes/24 h. In terms of treatment benefit, most of the women perceived an improvement at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Of the 18 women requiring re-treatment, most perceived an improvement at 3, 6 and 12 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with the Zuidex system produced significant improvements over a year in both subjective QoL and objective incontinence measures, with a significant positive correlation between them.
van Kerrebroeck
Philip
P
Department of Urology, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands. kerrebroeck@urology.azm.nl
ter Meulen
Flip
F
Larsson
Gregor
G
Farrelly
Elisabeth
E
Edwall
Lena
L
Fianu-Jonasson
Aino
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003911:Dextrans / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000628:therapy*
D003911:Dextrans; C013471:dextranomer