Management of urinary incontinence in older women using videoconferencing versus conventional management: a randomized controlled trial.
We compared telemedicine with a conventional outpatient continence service (CS) in community-dwelling older women with urge or stress incontinence. After an initial biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor muscle training session, subjects were randomized to behavioural training for eight weeks via the CS (n = 27) or a telemedicine continence programme (TCP) (n = 31). Participants in both treatment groups experienced significant improvement in their symptoms, namely, a reduction in the number of daily incontinence episodes (P<0.001) and voiding frequency (P<0.001), while the volume of urine at each micturition increased (P<0.005). Pelvic floor muscle strength as measured by the Oxford Score also improved (P<0.005). There were no significant differences in outcomes between the two groups. Thus our findings suggest that videoconferencing is as effective as conventional methods in the management of urinary incontinence.
Hui
Elsie
E
Division of Geriatrics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. huie@ha.org.hk
Lee
Patricia S C
PS
Woo
Jean
J
D000368:Aged; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D017773:Pelvic Floor; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D049269:Videoconferencing