TY - JOUR
T1 - Long-term effect of treatment of female incontinence in general practice
AU - Lagro-Janssen, Toine
AU - Van Weel, Chris
PY - 1998
Y1 - 1998
N2 - Background. Urinary incontinence in women can be treated successfully by the general practitioner. However, little is known about the long-term effects of conservative treatment. Aim. To evaluate the long-term effect of treatment of female incontinence by the general practitioner (pelvic floor exercises, and bladder training) in female urinary incontinence. Method. A total of 88 women, aged between 20 and 65, who had participated in a controlled trial between 1987 and 1990, were contacted to participate in a five-year follow-up study. Stress incontinence and urge incontinence were treated by means of pelvic floor exercises and bladder training respectively while a mixed incontinence was treated by bladder training followed by pelvic floor exercises. The outcome measures were a constructed scale for the severity of the incontinence, a seven-day bladder chart, and a questionnaire concerning patients' opinions. All patients were evaluated by an independent researcher. Results. Compared with the one-year follow-up, the number of continent women remained the same, but a significantly greater number of patients worsened. Forty per cent of the women stayed in the same category of severity while 45% moved into the contiguous categories. The weekly frequency of wet episodes increased significantly, with a mean increase of 2.65 episodes. Women with mixed incontinence were especially prone to relapse in the long-term. Compliance with the exercises had a positive influence on the outcomes, with 67% of the women expressing satisfaction with the results. Conclusions. Despite a decline in the effect of conservative treatment in the long-term, the majority of the women are satisfied with their treatment. Patient compliance is the key to long-term success.
AB - Background. Urinary incontinence in women can be treated successfully by the general practitioner. However, little is known about the long-term effects of conservative treatment. Aim. To evaluate the long-term effect of treatment of female incontinence by the general practitioner (pelvic floor exercises, and bladder training) in female urinary incontinence. Method. A total of 88 women, aged between 20 and 65, who had participated in a controlled trial between 1987 and 1990, were contacted to participate in a five-year follow-up study. Stress incontinence and urge incontinence were treated by means of pelvic floor exercises and bladder training respectively while a mixed incontinence was treated by bladder training followed by pelvic floor exercises. The outcome measures were a constructed scale for the severity of the incontinence, a seven-day bladder chart, and a questionnaire concerning patients' opinions. All patients were evaluated by an independent researcher. Results. Compared with the one-year follow-up, the number of continent women remained the same, but a significantly greater number of patients worsened. Forty per cent of the women stayed in the same category of severity while 45% moved into the contiguous categories. The weekly frequency of wet episodes increased significantly, with a mean increase of 2.65 episodes. Women with mixed incontinence were especially prone to relapse in the long-term. Compliance with the exercises had a positive influence on the outcomes, with 67% of the women expressing satisfaction with the results. Conclusions. Despite a decline in the effect of conservative treatment in the long-term, the majority of the women are satisfied with their treatment. Patient compliance is the key to long-term success.
KW - General practice
KW - Long-term outcomes
KW - Urinary incontinence
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031736638&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
SN - 0960-1643
VL - 48
SP - 1735
EP - 1738
JO - British Journal of General Practice
JF - British Journal of General Practice
IS - 436
ER -