Effect of group-administered behavioral treatment on urinary incontinence in older women: A randomized clinical trial
JAMA Internal Medicine Sep 09, 2018
Diokno AC, et al. - This multisite, randomized clinical trial (the Group Learning Achieves Decreased Incidents of Lower Urinary Symptoms [GLADIOLUS] study) compared the effectiveness, cost, and cost-effectiveness of group-administered behavioral treatment (GBT) with no treatment for urinary incontinence (UI) in older women. Results showed that a one-time GBT program is modestly effective and cost-effective for decreasing UI frequency, severity, and bother, and improving patient quality of life. For older women with UI, GBT is a promising first-line approach to enhancing access to noninvasive behavioral treatment.
Methods
- This study was conducted from July 7, 2014, to December 31, 2016.
- Outpatient practices at three academic medical centers comprised the setting.
- Study participants were community-dwelling women aged ≥55 years with UI, and were enrolled via mail and screened for eligibility, which included a score of ≥3 on the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Short Form (ICIQ-SF), symptoms of ≥3 months’ duration, and absence of medical conditions or treatments that could affect continence status.
- A total of 1125 of 2171 mail respondents were invited for clinical screening; 463 were eligible and randomized, and 398 completed the 12-month study.
- For this analysis, the GBT group received a one-time 2-hour bladder health class, supported by written materials and an audio CD.
- Researchers measured outcomes at in-person visits (at 3 and 12 months) and by mail or telephone (at 6 and 9 months).
- Change in ICIQ-SF score was the primary outcome.
- Secondary outcome measures included UI severity, quality of life, perceptions of improvement, pelvic floor muscle strength, and costs.
- Evaluators were masked to group assignment.
Results
- Study participants (GBT group, n=232; control group, n=231) were aged 55 to 91 years (mean [standard deviation] age: 64 [7] years), and 46.2% (214/463) were African American.
- The ICIQ-SF scores for the GBT group were consistently lower versus the control group across all time points but did not achieve the projected three-point difference in intent-to-treat analyses.
- The difference in differences at 3 months was 0.96 points (95% confidence interval: -1.51 to -0.41), which was statistically significant but clinically modest.
- Findings revealed that the mean (standard error) treatment effects at 6, 9, and 12 months were 1.36 (0.32), 2.13 (0.33), and 1.77 (0.31), respectively.
- Apart from pelvic floor muscle strength, significant group differences were observed at all time points in favor of GBT on all secondary outcomes.
- The incremental cost to achieve a treatment success was $723 at 3 months; GBT dominated at 12 months.
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