Non-face-to-face treatment of stress urinary incontinence: predictors of success after 1 year.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to determine predictors of long-term success in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) treated with a 3-month pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) program delivered via the Internet or a brochure.


METHODS
We included 169 women with SUI ≥1 time/week who completed the 1-year follow-up (n = 169, mean age 50.3, SD 10.1 years). Three outcome variables defined success after 1 year: Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I), International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF), and sufficient treatment. Using logistic regression, we analyzed data from the baseline, and from the 4-month and 1-year follow-ups, for potential predictors of success.


RESULTS
Of the participants, 77 % (129 out of 169) were successful in ≥1 of the outcomes, 23 % (37 out of 160) were successful in all 3. Participants with successful short-term results were more likely to succeed in the corresponding outcome at 1 year than those without successful short-term results (adjusted odds ratios [ORs]: PGI 5.15, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 2.40-11.03), ICIQ-UI SF 6.85 (95 % CI 2.83-16.58), and sufficient treatment 3.78 (95 % CI 1.58-9.08). Increasing age predicted success in PGI-I and sufficient treatment (adjusted OR 1.06, 95 % CI 1.02-1.10, and 1.08, 95 % CI, 1.03-1.13 respectively). Compared with not training regularly, regular PFMT at 1 year predicted success for PGI and sufficient treatment (adjusted OR 2.32, 95 % CI 1.04-5.20, and 2.99, 95 % CI 1.23-7.27 respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The long-term success of a non-face-to-face treatment program for SUI with a focus on PFMT can be predicted by successful short-term results, increasing age, and the performance of regular PFMT after 1 year.
Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. anna.lindh@regionjh.se.|Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Unit for Research, Education and Development-Östersund, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. anna.lindh@regionjh.se.
Anna
A
Lindh
Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Unit for Research, Education and Development-Östersund, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Malin
M
Sjöström
Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Hans
H
Stenlund
Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Eva
E
Samuelsson
D000328:Adult; D000068237:Distance Counseling; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000628:therapy*
Long-term; Pelvic floor muscle training; Predictors; Self-management; Stress urinary incontinence; eHealth