title: Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation versus tolterodine for overactive bladder in women: a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We performed a randomised controlled trial of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) versus tolterodine for treating treatment naïve women with overactive bladder (OAB).
  
  
  METHODS
  36 patients with symptoms of OAB were randomised to 3 months of treatment with weekly PTNS or tolterodine (2mg bid p.o.). The primary outcome measure was the difference of micturitions per 24h. The secondary outcome measure was the impact on quality of life (QoL) measured with a visual analogue scale (VAS) between baseline and after 3 months of therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Micturition frequencies did not decline significantly (p=0.13) over time and there were no significant treatment differences (p=0.96). QoL was significantly dependent from its level at baseline (p=0.002) and showed improvement over time compared to baseline measurements but no significant differences between both treatment groups (p=0.07). Incontinence episodes per 24h depended significantly on the level at baseline (p=0.0001) and declined significantly (p=0.03) during 3 months of therapy in both therapy groups. However no significant treatment differences on the reduction of incontinence episodes in 24h could be shown between both therapy groups (p=0.89). PTNS had fewer side effects than tolterodine (p=0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTNS and tolterodine were both effective in reducing incontinence episodes and improving QoL in patients with OAB but not micturition frequencies. PTNS had fewer side effects.
authors.affiliation: Zell am See Hospital, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paracelsusstrasse 8, A-5700 Zell am See, Austria. Electronic address: oliver.preyer@kh-zellamsee.at.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Preyer
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Division of General Gynaecology and Gynaecologic Oncology, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Umek
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Division of General Gynaecology and Gynaecologic Oncology, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laml
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Graz, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Division of Gynaecology, Auenbrugger Platz 14, A-8036 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bjelic-Radisic
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Freiburg, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Division of Gynaecology, Hugstetter Strasse 44, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gabriel
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Centre for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems, Section for Clinical Biometrics, Spitalgasse 23, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mittlboeck
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Division of General Gynaecology and Gynaecologic Oncology, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Engelbert
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hanzal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000068737:Tolterodine Tartrate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D053202:Urinary Incontinence, Urge / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D064804:Urological Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D064804:Urological Agents; D000068737:Tolterodine Tartrate
keywords: Overactive bladder; Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS); Side effects; Tolterodine