title: Patient experience with darifenacin - results of a short-term community-based survey in managing overactive bladder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This community-based program evaluated patients' experiences with darifenacin over 3 weeks' treatment in a predominantly primary care clinical practice setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physicians (n = 2117, 50% primary care physicians, 35% urologists, 10% obstetrician/gynecologist, 5% other) were asked to introduce the program to patients with overactive bladder (OAB). Patients received an enrollment kit including a 30-day darifenacin voucher, activated if patients registered for the program via telephone or online. Patients (≥ 18 years of age) completed a brief automated survey to evaluate frequency of urge urinary incontinence episodes (UUIEs), micturitions/24 hours, urge severity/24 hours (10 point scale: 0 = not at all severe; 10 = very severe), and treatment tolerability (10 point scale: 0 = very poorly tolerated; 10 = very well tolerated). Patients also completed a second survey 3 weeks after starting darifenacin. Statistical analyses were not prospectively planned or performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 2165 patients completed both surveys. At baseline, mean age of completers was 66 years, 76% were female, and 47% reported prior use of OAB medications. After 3 weeks' treatment, patients experienced reductions in UUIEs and micturitions. Urge severity was reduced by >30% after 3 weeks (mean scores: 6.7 at baseline vs. 4.6 after 3 weeks' treatment) and treatment was well tolerated (mean score: 7.7). Overall, 85% of patients who participated in the program did so due to physician influences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this 3-week, self-reported community-based survey indicate that patients were generally satisfied with darifenacin treatment and experienced a reduction in OAB symptoms. Darifenacin was generally well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Women's Center, Richmond, VA 23233, USA. lgreen@vwcenter.com
authors.forename: Lonny
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kerney
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057566:Self Report; D013997:Time Factors; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D011759:Pyrrolidines; C101207:darifenacin